Of Birds, Beasts, and Other Artists: An Essay on the Universality of Art

By Ben-Ami Scharfstein

Book Overview

Written for all persons curious about the nature of art and its relationship to human society, Of Birds, Beasts, and Other Artists is a work that grapples with fundamental questions regarding the nature of spontaneity, creativity, tradition, and history, as Professor Scharfstein explores the idea of a universal cause by which all art is created. First analyzing the contemporary art scene, he shows us how self-consciousness and a need to attack tradition have overwhelmed our sense of perspective, leading us to ask. What is art? He analyzes next the biological basis of art, offering a discussion of the songs of brids, and the artwork of chimpanzees and children, showing how a sense of creativity precedes our human consciousness. of keeping the mind and senses alive, a part of what it means to be human.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0814779158
• ISBN13: 9780814779156
• Release Date: June 1991
• Publisher: New York University Press
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 1.00 lbs.