Description
An exploration of what it means when we say something is beautiful.
Bringing together ideas of beauty from both Eastern and Western philosophy, Francois Jullien challenges the assumptions underlying our commonly agreed-upon definition of what is beautiful and offers a new way of beholding art. Jullien argues that the Western concept of beauty was established by Greek philosophy and became consequently embedded within the very structure of European languages. And due to its relationship to language, this concept has determined ways of thinking about beauty that often go unnoticed or unchecked in discussions of Western aesthetics. Moreover, through globalization, Western ideals of beauty have even spread to cultures whose ancient traditions are based upon radically different aesthetic foundations; yet, these cultures have adopted such views without question and without recognizing the cultural assumptions they contain.
About the Author
Francois Jullien is professor at Universite Paris Diderot, a member of the Institut universitaire de France, and director of the Institut de la pensee contemporaine. His other books include In Praise of Blandness: Proceeding from Chinese Thought and Aesthetics, The Impossible Nude, and Silent Transformations, the last also published by Seagull Books. Krzysztof Fijalkowski is a senior lecturer in critical studies at the Norwich Unversity College of the Arts. Michael Richardson's translations with Krzysztof Fijalkowski include Refusal of the Shadow, Surrealism Against the Current, and States of Violence: An Essay on the End of War, the last also published by Seagull Books.
Book Information
ISBN 9781803090573
Author Francois Jullien
Format Paperback
Page Count 256
Imprint Seagull Books London Ltd
Publisher Seagull Books London Ltd
Weight(grams) 300g
Dimensions(mm) 222mm * 121mm * 17mm
