Talks

Art & Philosophy: Borduas and the Existential Drama of the Visible

Borduas, Résistance Végétale

Paul-Emile Borduas, Résistance Végétale, oil on canvas, 114.2 x 147.2cm, Bequest of Charles S. Band, Toronto, 1970, Copyright Art Gallery of Ontario

Tickets are not currently available.

Talks

Art & Philosophy: Borduas and the Existential Drama of the Visible

February 15, 2012, 7pm
Jackman Hall, Art Gallery of Ontario
Listen to the Talk
Art & Philosophy: Borduas and the Existential Drama of the Visible
1 hour 35 minutes

What is it that we actually see when we take the time to linger with one of Paul-Émile Borduas' abstract paintings?  The paint on these canvases does not completely efface itself for the sake of allowing objects to appear; but nor is the sheer materiality of the paint--rich as it is--the primary object of our gaze.  In this talk Ciavatta draws from the philosophical insights of existentialist phenomenologists Jean-Paul Sartre and Maurice Merleau-Ponty, to suggest that what these paintings make visible is, in the end, the expressive movement of existence itself:  through these paintings our eyes bear witness to the spontaneous emergence of a pre-objective sense and purpose out of the contingency of the world's sensuous materiality.  

David Ciavatta is an Associate Professor of Philosophy at Ryerson University, Toronto, where he teaches seminars on Existentialism, Phenomenology, and the Philosophy of Art.  

For requests for Verbal Description, American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation and/or live captioning for online and onsite programming, please provide three weeks notice in advance of the event date. The AGO will make every effort to provide accommodation for requests made with less than three weeks notice. Please note that automated captioning is available for all online programs. For onsite visits, the AGO offers these supports for an accessible visit. Please contact us to make a request for these or other accessibility accommodations. Learn more about accessibility at the AGO.

SIMILAR EVENTS

Sorry, no related events found. View what's on Today

Be the first to find out about AGO exhibitions and events, get the behind-the-scenes scoop and book tickets before it’s too late.
You can unsubscribe at any time.