Artistic Creation: A Phenomenological Account

Artistic creation has proven remarkably resistant to philosophical analysis. Artists have long struggled to explain how they do what they do, and philosophers have struggled along with them. This study does not attempt to offer a comprehensive account of all creativity or all art. Instead it tries to identify an essential feature of an activity that has been cloaked in mystery for as long as history records. Jeff Mitscherling and Paul Fairfield argue that the process by which art is created has a good deal in common with the experience of the audience of a work, and that both experiences may be described phenomenologically in ways that show surprising affinities with what artists themselves often report.

Table of Contents:
Preface: Tracking Intentions Chapter 1: What Artists Tell Us Chapter 2: Some Central Concepts and Theories Chapter 3: More Clues from Plato and Aristotle Chapter 4: A Model of the Work of Art Chapter 5: Structural and Hermeneutic Considerations Involved in Artistic Creation and Aesthetic Judgment Chapter 6: Implications Conclusion Bibliography About the Authors

About the Author :
Jeff Mitscherling is professor emeritus of philosophy at the University of Guelph. Paul Fairfield is professor of philosophy at Queen’s University at Kingston.

Review :
Relying on the accounts of various artists as well as on the resources of ancient and contemporary philosophy, this welcome study develops a phenomenologically oriented account of artistic creation, at the center of which lies the concept of intentionality. It presents the model of call and response and on such a basis argues that “tracking intentionality,” which is not of our own making, constitutes the core of artistic creation. Clearly written and well argued, this inspiring study is a pleasure to read. Avoiding technical jargon, this book addresses a broad audience and it will appeal to anyone with an interest in the fundamental questions that concern artistic creativity. Mitscherling and Fairfield present an innovative and gripping analysis of intentionality, arguing that it is key for creativity and artistic production. Dismissive of the idea that creation comes from nothing or out of nowhere, the philosophers develop a rich notion of noticing and following what is objectively given in the world, culture, and others in order to show how humans imaginatively and artistically bring forward novel, creative works. Drawing from the experience and testimony of artists, poets, musicians and writers, they make a compelling case for the source of creativity lying in the turning of our conscious attention to what is already calling or appealing to us, to what is already at work in us. This engaging book with its inviting writing style is a masterful exploration of one of humanity’s richest capabilities.