A Study Of Arthur Danto's Theories On Art Philosophy

As an important contemporary art philosopher, Arthur Danto has trained by both the classic aesthetics and modern analytical philosophy. And through a long-term observation, he thus raised his own views on a series of basic questions about art. His theories, the "Artworld" theory and the "End of Art Theory" has won him an wide and sustained attention from the aesthetics field, and roused an aesthetics revival in the theory world as well. His art theory does not only provide a theoretical explanation and support to modern and contemporary arts, but also offer us a fresh view to the comprehension and study of modern and contemporary arts. This dissertation tries to make a profound interpretation of Danto's art philosophy from several different angles and consciously explore the innovation of Danto's theories. There are mainly six parts in this dissertation, and the contents are:The introduction consists of three parts:the reasons and significance of choosing this issue; clarification of several definitions that are often appeared in this dissertation and are easily confused; the study route and methods of this dissertation. In nowadays China, the study of Danto's theories in the fields of art and aesthetics is not satisfying. Even if there were some discussion, the topics are mainly about the hot issue "the end of art". The systematical study is far from sufficient, which obviously does not match Danto's academic status and contribution. Moreover, the study of Danto's art philosophy is necessary considering that it may help the theory world pay more attention to the contemporary art problems. The clarification of these definitions such as aesthetics and art philosophy, modern, contemporary and post-modern defines the study and guarantees the criterion of this dissertation. Through the interpretation and study of three parts of Danto's theory, the dissertation exposes its inner logic and profound contents. Comparison is widely used In this dissertation, and thus the uniqueness of Danto's theories is showed. The first chapter reviews Danto's "Artworld" theory and its great influence. What is art after all in nowadays when anything could be art? After the observation and contemplation of modern art, Danto raised the "Artworld" theory. For the first time, someone cast his eyes on the outer world of a piece of art work. Danto believes that it is" the knowledge about art "or "an art theory " that makes one ordinary object art, yet the other objects looking just like it are not qualified to be art. Under the influence of Danto, George Dickie raised a famous theory:the Institutional Theory of Art. Dickie holds a view that art must be an artificial work and is made to be a candidate of being appreciation. Danto's "Artworld" theory was created as if it was invited by modern art. And it was the first answer to the challenge of defining art that had been raised by the analytical philosophy. The "Artworld" theory is not only the base of Danto's theories but also the beginning of the aesthetical revival.Chapter Two focuses on the analysis of the several theoretical origins and contents of the "End of Art Theory". This chapter is of great importance. Hegel considers art as a phase of the long historical process of the self-development of Absolute Spirit. Hence, art must be replaced by religion and philosophy. However, Heidegger disagrees with Hegel. He has a great expectation on the future of art because he thinks that art "was" and "always will be" the basic and necessary way for the appearance of the truth which is vital to the existence. Adorno shares the same opinion with Hegel on the decline of art. But he expects the self-criticism in art may bring art back to freedom. Being inspired by these pioneers, Danto discovers the philosophical disenfranchisement that has existed in the history. He believes that the way to escape from this disenfranchisement is the self-resistance to aesthetics. Modern art transfers into art philosophy at the moment of self-consciousness. And art ends at the exact same moment. The "end" of art does not implies that art creation and art activities will stop, but that art no longer has historical significance. The "End of Art Theory" provides an important angle of understanding modern and contemporary art. It is a big theoretical breakthrough of art philosophy and rouses great echoes in the theory world.Chapter Three discusses Danto's point of view on art history and his attitude on the future of art. Belting believes that "The End of Art History" does not mean the end of the study of art history, but the end of an view that regards art as a historical process that progresses. Greenberg thinks that the modernity in art is mostly demonstrated by the fact that "art itself becomes the theme of art". Modernism ends in the art field when the difference between arts and real objects can not be told according to their appearances but the conception. Based on the theories of these two scholars, Danto raised his own view on art history. That is form modern art to contemporary art, the master narratives about art has been dissolved, and that a linear view of art history no longer adapt to the contemporary art. Arts exist historically in different forms. The characteristics such as "blurriness"', "mixture", "pluralism" and "chaos" can be found everywhere in contemporary art.The last chapter analyzes the influence of "The End of Art Theory". At the time of post-modernism, the main task of art philosophers is being transferred from philosophical thoughts to artistic criticism. Kant's emphasis on the "Aesthetic Non-interests Theory" broke the natural relationship between art and life, which was not made up again until the rise of modern art. Some arts of avant-garde voluntarily get outside the elite region and walk into people's daily life. Art hence gains a new life by emerging into life.The conclusion part summaries Danto's theories of art philosophy as well as its great influence both to the theory world and to contemporary art itself.