What is art?

A round table discussion

Abstract

As the outcome of the round table discussion on What is art, various philosophical strategies were suggested to address the problems of art in general, and modern art in particular, its mode of existence and ways of reception. The participants used diverse methodologies in their reflections on the metaphysical foundations of art as well as its social role; special consideration was given to the question what kind of conceptual apparatus should work best when dealing with contemporary art: may one still speak of 'beauty' and 'the sublime', or it is time to invent a new analytic language? Particular approaches were tested on a number of works of 20th century art from Marcel Duchamp and Kazimir Malevich to Joseph Kosuth and Roni Horn; this resulted in proposing the models of interpreting art where it is regarded either as a direct action or an event.