The Response of Art History to Big Events
Posted in Digital Books, Teaching Early Medieval Art on June 16th, 2008 by adminThe blog, Talking Philosophy – The Philosophers’ Magazine Blog, has posted the responses of ten “leading thinkers” to the question, “Has philosophy responded adequately to the big events and debates of the last decade, such as climate change and the post-9/11 world?”
I direct your attention, in particular, to the response of Jerry Fodor:
“I suppose so; though I don’t think that responding to such issues is plausibly a philosophical responsibility. Has Art History responded adequately to the post-9/11 world? Why should philosophy be different?”
Well, the question of the relevance of art history, in particular early medieval art history, rears again its ugly (?) head. But, in this instance, I think that art history has responded, perhaps not to climate change, but at least to 9/11. Islamic art flourishes as a field of study, and cross-cultural communication and exchange, a timely theme, forms a major topic of research in medieval art and beyond.
Personally, I have responded in my teaching philosophy. I think about the development of the skills that students may apply to our increasingly complex and global visual culture. On this front, please see my earlier posts on Looking Skills and Art History Skills.
To connect art to climate would constitute a bit of a stretch, but medieval history, at least, has intensified its study of climate and climate change in the early Middle Ages, so at least my other field has indeed responded. So, Mr. Fodor, Art History (nor Medieval Studies, if you should also have them in mind) should not typify the irrelevance of certain paths of academic inquiry!
(And yet, part of me, as you know, relishes the possibility of irrelevance!)
), but Martyn’s translation of Gregory’s letters to Serenus lacks precision (”statues of saints” rather than “images of saints” in 11.10). Although I provided the letters to my students in this translation, I much prefer the translation offered by Celia Chazelle in her article, “Pictures, Books, and the Illiterate: Pope Greogry I’s Letters to Serenus of Marseille,” Word and Image 6 (1990): 138-153. As a compromise, you can, of course, use the translation by Philip Shaff. This makes for an especially convenient option, for you may now download entire volumes from its Early Church Fathers series at the Christian Classics Ethereal Library.
Stumble it!
