Rate this book

Art As Therapy (2013)

by Alain de Botton(Favorite Author)

3.99 of 5 Votes: 4

ISBN

0714865915 (ISBN13: 9780714865911)

languge

English

genre

Nonfiction

publisher

Phaidon Press

review 1: This book offers a different approach for appreciating art by claiming that art is not only aesthetically pleasing, but also satisfies a deep psychological need. The author argues that art helps us connect with our own experience as humans. I found the first half of the book, in which this approach to art appreciation is introduced, very inspiring. However, in the second half of the book, the author introduces his ideas on how art should be promoted by industry and government. This section seemed a bit wishy-washy.
review 2: The book is an interesting provocation to those of us that work in the visual arts. De Botton and Armstrong’s chief criticism of curators and art historians is that we don’t make art relevant or accessible to audiences. On that score... more, they make a very good and useful point. The popularity of this book demonstrates their case. The trouble is the solution the book proposes is a very utilitarian approach to art. According to the authors we should look at art to solve our personal problems, rather than being stretched by the very foreign thoughts, feelings, and aspirations of others. The accounts of both art and therapy are a bit reductive. less

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