Philosophy of art
![Photo of a person admiring art in a gallery framed by a large red sculpture, with a wooden floor and a dark wall background.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/a1037c7a-3250-4865-9867-67f981138200/gettyimages-73716891.jpg?top=145&left=0&cropWidth=2992&cropHeight=1683&width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Altered states
idea
A touch of absurdity can help to wrap your mind around reality
And now for something completely different: how a dose of the surreal or absurd helps to make sense of our place in the world
by David Robson
![Painting of hunters and dogs in snowy landscape with a village and ice skaters in the background, trees and hills visible.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/eb2f5986-8557-4df3-9723-a5e4b8ccf85b/gg_1838_web.jpeg?top=381&left=0&cropWidth=2992&cropHeight=1683&width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Philosophy of art
idea
When art transports us, where do we actually go?
Artworks have the capacity to transport us into other worlds. But where exactly do we go when we are immersed in art?
by Harri Mäcklin
![Black-and-white photo: person sitting by a fire on a snowy riverbank under a bridge, wearing a winter coat and hat.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/d2e7a966-66ae-4509-accd-6d0d4335934c/original.jpg?top=21&left=0&cropWidth=2000&cropHeight=1125&width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Artists and art history
film
The astounding performances of an artist making art and life simultaneous
Directed by Adrian Heathfield & Hugo Glendinning
![Painting of two women in historical clothing beheading a man, with one holding him down while the other uses a sword.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/b03fed13-24b1-4f33-8b68-94705a14bd21/original.jpg?top=0&left=0&cropWidth=1200&cropHeight=675&width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Artists and art history
idea
Gentileschi. Let us not allow sexual violence to define the artist
Artemisia Gentileschi’s body of work has been framed by her personal history. Her paintings should speak for themselves
by Eliza Apperly
![Large projection of a painting’s cracked surface with a person standing in front, focusing on a close-up of a smiling mouth.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/7631a3c5-f310-400c-a5b9-e963ba71eae9/gettyimages-1239026003.jpeg?top=380&left=0&cropWidth=7296&cropHeight=4104&width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Philosophy of art
idea
Engaging with an artwork leaves you and the art transformed
When you engage with an artwork, a form of cognitive coupling takes place in which your mind and the art are transformed
by Miranda Anderson
![Painting of lilac flowers with green leaves on a dark background. The flowers vary in shades of purple, pink, and white.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/c491d2ed-14da-4db2-941c-bcef31c96068/algorithms-of-beauty-landscape-1.jpg?top=0&left=0&cropWidth=2560&cropHeight=1440&width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Beauty and aesthetics
film
‘Nothing renders their beauty’ – can art ever capture the splendour of a flower?
A film by Miléna Trivier
![A painting of a man and woman holding hands indoors with a small dog at their feet. The room is richly decorated.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/2a34f7c4-50e0-4e44-b604-42ec1f81cb6c/the_arnolfini_portrait_1434.jpeg?top=952&left=0&cropWidth=8272&cropHeight=4653&width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Philosophy of art
idea
To master the art of close looking, learn to hold time still
Visual literacy is a skillset that’s rarely taught, but it begins with learning how to look – and how to hold time still
by Grace Linden
![Two women seen from behind seated on a bench viewing a large four-panel painting of a cloudy sky in an art gallery.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/35c48e0d-8901-4249-aa0d-e7d15ef1b578/original.jpg?top=4&left=0&cropWidth=1936&cropHeight=1089&width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Beauty and aesthetics
idea
You can be aesthetically sensitive and know nothing about art
Aesthetic sensitivity is not about being correct in your judgments of beauty, but rather how much you’re affected by it
by Guido Corradi
![Two people watching a film in a dark, nearly empty cinema. One person is holding a popcorn box.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/472253b1-d02a-4b2c-9b8c-48cbf3c9083e/original.jpg?top=21&left=0&cropWidth=2000&cropHeight=1125&width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Stories and literature
film
‘Once upon a time…’ Deconstructing our insatiable appetite for stories
Directed by Aisling Chin-Yee