New Ontologies of Art

Ontology of art is flourishing, with a plethora of research papers and monographs dedicated to this area appearing each year. It is commonly believed that ontology of art is one of the main fields in aesthetics. This is not surprising since many, if not all, aesthetic questions presuppose some level of ontological inquiry. Sadly, lasting achievements in ontology of art have proved elusive. The vast number of existing, mutually exclusive positions within the area suggests that there is a hidden possible solution within it that has not been elaborated so far. For philosophers and art theorists it is evident that the art world constantly brings forth new art objects and practices that undermine established ontological categories and concepts. This indisputable fact is a trigger for brave and novel investigations within and beyond much of the work in ontology of art, traditionally understood. The papers collected in this issue of Rivista di estetica represent different styles and methodologies of philosophical inquiry. Thanks to this fact we can call them “new ontologies of art”, since research into artworks and their relation to humans calls for insights from several perspectives.

Summary