Meanings of Art

Meanings of Art is an engaging collection of essays that covers a broad spectrum of topics, ranging from the philosophy of literature to neuro-aesthetics. Emerging sporadically over the course of 20 years, the stand-alone essays that comprise this volume display little evidence of a sustained, systematic thesis. But this is part of what constitutes the book’s principal charm. Each chapter handles its respective subject with its own methodology, rhetorical mood and degree of rigour. Holt describes the thematic link among his essays as ‘the concept of meaning: what it means to make art, how the meanings we attach to artworks and interpretation shape our appreciation, the nature and value of aesthetic experience, and ultimately the definition of art itself’ (i). It is questionable whether or not these short essays, taken singly or together, successfully provide a satisfying analysis of the concept of meaning as promised. But at the end of the day, this seems far less important than what Holt does in fact achieve, which is to issue an enticing invitation to students and scholars alike to reflect deeply on some basic questions in aesthetics

Aesthetics · Art · Epistemology · Interpretation (philosophy · Linguistics · Literature · Meaning (existential · Rhetorical question · Rigour · Subject (documents · Value (mathematics · Aesthetic Perception and Analysis · Computer Science · Philosophy · Visual Culture and Art Theory