The History of Western Aesthetics

(2022-2023), oil on linen, 121.92 cm x 152.4 cm
"The definitions of beauty and significance are eternal and ever changing.   From antiquity to the modern day, the shaping of culture through tradition and philosophy is crucial in understanding what and why some art is preserved. Depicting recognized thinkers and their statements from the last three thousand years, this chronological diagram notes major contributions to the Western canon of “aesthetics”.  A cursory survey exposes glaring biases of race, class, gender and nationalism that raise doubt about the existence of a unified notion of a neutral “transcendental aesthetic.” " (Loren Munk, 2023)
Artwork and image copyright by Loren Munk/James Kalm. For more information see http://www.lorenmunk.com/