Saturday, June 13, 1:00–3:00 PM
A single-session discussion class on why we love art we know is bad, and what that says about aesthetic value. This is a single-session class.
What you’ll do
Why do people pay to watch bad movies? Why does the Museum of Bad Art have a cult following? In this class, you’ll explore what philosophers have made of that puzzle and make the case for your own favorites. Through guided discussion, you’ll look at what separates good-bad art from guilty pleasures and camp, how artistic value differs from aesthetic value, and whether loving bad art is morally suspect, secretly avant-garde, or something else entirely.
What you’ll learn
What separates good-bad art from guilty pleasures and camp
The distinction between artistic value and aesthetic value
How philosophers have thought about the appeal of bad art
How to defend your own terrible favorites
Great for: Anyone who has ever loved a terrible movie, novel, song, or artwork and wanted to defend it. No background in philosophy needed.
Instructor: Phil Mack holds a PhD in philosophy and has over ten years of experience teaching at UW–Madison, Marquette University, and UW–Milwaukee. He makes big ideas accessible through conversation, not academic jargon, and is building a public philosophy practice in the Madison area.
Schedule
Saturday, June 13, 1:00–3:00 PM
Cost: $48
What to bring: Yourself, and at least one terrible movie, song, book, or artwork that you love.