Images 1 of 1

Jānis Taurens’ Lecture “Is Catharsis Possible in Contemporary Art?”

18.6.2009

On 18 June at 19:00 everyone was invited to attend a lecture “Is Catharsis Possible in Contemporary Art?” by philosopher Jānis Taurens. The lecture was discussing various interpretations of catharsis and its relevance to contemporary art.

The term “catharsis” in the works of Aristotle leaves space for various interpretations. Traditionally it has been linked to a certain understanding of artwork, its representative function and the roles of artist and audience in the art processed. Today understanding art appears to be more important than the aesthetic and emotional experience with art. Does catharsis retain its significance once we consider contemporary art? These and other questions will be dealt with by professor Jānis Taurens.