ARC Research Seminar and Exhibition: 3 April 2018

The Aesthetics Research Centre invites you to a research seminar with Dr. James MacDowell (Warwick) who will present a paper with the title “The Irony in Fiction Films”.

This will be followed by the festive opening of the exhibition “Portraits & Philosophy: A Conversation”. More details below. All welcome!

Dr. James MacDowell (Warwick) will present a paper with the title “The Irony in Fiction Films”.

April 3, 4-5.30pm, Templeman Lecture Theatre.

It has sometimes been claimed that pictures in general, and films in particular, might find it difficult to be ironic. In his article ‘The Irony in Pictures’ Gregory Currie grounds this claim in the nature of pictorial representation, and elsewhere grounds a weaker version of his position in the nature of ‘classical’ narrative filmmaking. This paper will challenge these arguments by taking up the surprisingly under-explored issue of the irony in motion pictures – specifically, in feature-length fiction films. To ‘be ironic’ an artwork must communicate ironically – rather than, that is, merely depict an ironic situation. This talk will, firstly, outline some theoretical reasons for doubting that this distinction can always be rigidly maintained. It will also propose that the medium of fiction filmmaking – even in its most ‘classical’ guises – routinely blurs the lines between these phenomena such that works are able simultaneously to depict something ironic and communicate ironically.

Opening reception of the exhibition “Portraits & Philosophy: A Conversation”

April 3, 5.30-7pm, A108 Reception Room (next to the Gallery in Templeman Library)

Ten of the world’s leading philosophers of art are portrayed here
by renowned photographer Steve Pyke and visual artist (and Kent graduate) Claire Anscomb. These striking black-and-white portraits are accompanied by short excerpts from the book Conversations on Art and Aesthetics in which Kent lecturer Dr Hans Maes discusses key issues in art and aesthetics with these individual philosophers.

Become acquainted with the thoughts and faces of contemporary aesthetics and let yourself be challenged by this up close and personal view of philosophy.