Art’s Realism in the Post-Truth Era (Amanda Boetzkes)

The last decade has seen a growing preoccupation with philosophies of realism from artists, curators, theorists and historians. But while the arts benefit from this domain of philosophical inquiry, the reverse is also true: the significance of realism in an era characterized by global warming, migrations, and fake news can only be fully understood by attending to the ways that art mediates, visualizes, and even shapes reality. Taking art’s constitutive relationship to realism seriously, this workshop organised by Amanda Boetzkes intervenes on contemporary debates about realism by demonstrating that the arts do not simply illustrate philosophical theories, they require its redefinition. The contributors will demonstrate such reconceptualizations of realism and through its aesthetic dimensions not only in the visual arts, but also in sound art, performance and scientific imaging. Bringing together advanced scholars from art history, media studies,philosophy, literature and visual arts, the workshop foregrounds the importance of art’s realism in a global ecology that crosses the boundaries of discipline and medium.

Please find the program here.