Representing the RealThis study offers a new perspective on the object represented by art, specifically by art that succeeds to create in its receiver a sense of “the real”, a sense of approximating the true nature of the represented object that lies outside the artwork. The object that cannot be accessed through a concept, a meaning or a sign, the thing-in-itself, is generally rejected by philosophy as being outside the realm of its concerns. This rejection is surveyed in a number of philosophical discussions, from Kant to Hilary Putnam. Turning to the psychoanalytic object, an object inexhaustible in terms of its external existence, or in terms of its conceptual status or meaning (the object is always suppressed, partly known, inaccessible), another notion of the object. The Real is suggested as what can neither be contained in language nor reduced to a linguistic referent. This solution does not lead away from philosophical interests but rather exposes this dilemma about the object of representation as fundamentally philosophical. Cases of artistic realism discussed range from perspective painting to abstract art, from tragedies to the literary representation of minds. |
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abstract art appears artistic attempt Cartesian claim cogito conception consciousness constituted context correspondence truth critique Descartes discourse dream thought effect epistemic epistemological existence fact fantasy forms formulation Freud function Guyer hence historical ibid idea imaginary impossible object inner instance interior monologue internal internal realism interpretation intuition Jacques Lacan ject jouissance Kant Kant's knowledge Kristeva Lacan Lacanian language limits literary logic material meaning metaphysical modes naturalism of perspective naturalist notion Nussbaum object of representation object represented observer Oedipus Oedipus at Colonus painting paradox particular perception perspectival philosophical picture position present produced projection psychoanalytic Putnam question Real object realism of mind reality refer regarding relation repre reveal schema semantic Seminar semiosis semiotic sense signifier space spatial spective split split subject stream-of-consciousness structure symbolic symptom theory thing-in-itself things things-in-themselves three-dimensional tion tragic transcendental idealism uncon unconscious vanishing point visual naturalism Woolf