Philosophy of art

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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