Art and the ethical today

Abstract

What is art’s function today, in the early 21st century? It is argued here that, while art’s function has changed dramatically throughout history, its formal features are usually regarded as being paramount in ascertaining whether something is art or not. It is further argued, with reference to specific works by contemporary artists (Serrano, Mapplethorpe and Reggio), that it is impossible, and inadvisable, to reduce the importance of art to its formal-aesthetic properties, as some people tend to do. Moreover, while the formal and the conceptual aspects of art are linked, there is reason to promote certain functions, such as the ethical, the critical and ecological, at the cost of reducing others (such as the commercial) in the contemporary world.

Wat is die funksie van kuns vandag, in die vroeë 21ste eeu? Daar word hier geargumenteer dat, hoewel hierdie funksie dramaties verander het deur die geskiedenis, die formele eienskappe van kuns gewoonlik as deurslaggewend beskou word by die bepaling van kuns as kuns. Daar word verder aangevoer, met verwysing na die werk van tydgenootlike kunstenaars (Serrano, Mapplethorpe en Reggio), dat dit onmoontlik is, en bowendien ook nie raadsaam nie, om die belang van kuns tot formeel-estetiese eienskappe te reduseer, soos sommige kritici wel doen. Verder, ofskoon die formele en konseptuele aspekte van kuns met mekaar verband hou, is daar goeie rede om sekere aspekte – soos die etiese, kritiese en ekologiese – te bevorder ten koste van ander (soos die kommersiële) in die kontemporêre wêreld.