The Move Beyond Form

Fictional narratives of the late twentieth century often cross boundaries. This study argues that the undoing of structure in postmodern art form demands a different way of thinking and represents a commentary on the material and social conditions of the late twentieth century and beyond.

'A sophisticated and engaging work that makes a significant contribution to the field of contemporary aesthetics and critical theory.' - Christopher A. Dustin, Professor of Philosophy, College of the Holy Cross

'In this book Mary-Joe Hughes shows how our post-sixties culture bears witness to a dramatic dissolution of boundaries between form and content, author and reader, text and world. Challenging the postmodern cult of Theory the author lets works of art - music, film, painting and literature - speak for themselves, while remaining critically conversant with the philosophies of Derrida and Levinas. The book makes a powerful plea for creative interconnection over cynical conflation, for inventive hybridity over consumerist confusion, citing contemporary works from Coetzee and Calvino to Peter Weir and Yo-Yo Ma. The author convinces by a combination of intellectual audacity, critical integrity and deep imagination.' - Richard Kearney, Charles Seelig Chair of Philosophy, Boston College

Autorentext
Mary Jo Hughes is the assistant director of the Arts and Sciences Honors Program at Boston College.

Klappentext

Fictional narratives of the late twentieth century often cross boundaries. This study argues that the undoing of structure in postmodern art form demands a different way of thinking and represents a commentary on the material and social conditions of the late twentieth century and beyond.

Inhalt
Introduction: A Tale of Competing Critical Narratives 1. The Move Beyond Form in Context 2. Transforming Space over Time: The Visual Arts 3. Musical Interplay: Tan Dun's The Map and other Examples 4. Refusing Self-Containment: Coetzee's Diary of a Bad Year 5. Dissolving Boundaries, Exposing Webs 6. Echoing Spaces Beyond the Boundaries 7. Hybrid Zones in the Mirror Arcade: The Receding Real 8. Traversing Medial Spaces Beyond the Ending 9. ReMaking