Move Closer : An Intimate Philosophy Of Art

The Story

How many of us have stood before famous paintings only to realize, with quiet panic, that we can't work out what the fuss is all about? What can we do--beyond just staring--to get the most out of art? How do we come to develop an attachment to individual works & find them fascinating? How do they come to matter to us? While many teachers & critics have diligently directed attention to questions in art history, theory, or criticism, John Armstrong, in a powerful & original shift of focus, considers the roots of our personal attachment to art. Perhaps this most neglected aspect of thinking about art is also the most important. Armstrong convincingly explains that there is no access to art except in private--in looking, thinking, & feeling as we stand before an individual work. In this illuminating book, he describes the resources we each need to cultivate in order to enjoy painting & architecture. Moving easily between the intimacies of personal experience & lucid, philosophical reflection, Armstrong acts as a sensitive & persuasive guide.