Bernadette Collenberg-Plotnikov: Emil Utitz (1883-1956): Philosophy of Art as General Theory of Art

Organized by the Department for the Study of Modern Czech Philosophy, Institute of Philosophy, CAS

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Prof. Bernadette Collenberg-Plotnikov (Bochum/ Hagen):
Emil Utitz (1883-1956): Philosophy of Art as General Theory of Art

Abstract
Emil Utitz, philosopher and psychologist, came from Prague's German-Jewish milieu. Before becoming a professor at the Charles University there, Utitz was one of the main protagonists of the 'General Theory of Art' in Germany - an interdisciplinary initiative founded at the beginning of the 20th century, which shaped academic exchange and collaboration among art scholars for more than three decades and attracted international attention. Utitz's early art-philosophical activities came all in all to an end in 1933, when he was ousted from his university chair in Germany by the National Socialists and persecuted. They are largely forgotten today.

The talk aims to recall Utitz's philosophy of art: It does not only represent an example of the innovative potential of art research in Germany up to the beginning of the National Socialist regime, but contains ideas that are still relevant for us today.

The following discussion will be moderated by Lara Bonneau.