1)Danto's 'inferential bypass 2)susan sontag's regarding the pain of others - Essay Example

Teacher Q. Describe Arthur Danto’s point about Bernini’s David. What idea does he intend to express by the phrase inferential bypassin Danto’s “The End of Art,” and how is this idea relevant to the point he makes about David and related works of art? Representational power in the art world can be defined by advancements through technological expansions. Previous ages of art were limited and restricting in the sense that art was not progressing but rather stationary. This presented limitations to artists who could not express themselves fully through traditional means.

Nonetheless, there were artists who changed art and art audiences both. One of these, according to Danto, is Bernini’s David. This changed the face of perceptual art and brought it into its own limitless sphere. Some aspects of this sculpture that were different were that this sculpture had movement, cues, and more emotional expression. Now when Danto talks of inferential bypass, this contrast to his opinion of limited art eras which he talks about in “The End of Art.” Taking Bernini’s David, he becomes an example of technology assisted art.

Here art has more representational power which is not just pictorial. Danto’s notions of technology connecting art and audiences, is what he means by inferential bypass and consequently he uses Bernini’s David to highlight this. Q. Discuss what Susan Sontag means when she writes “It seemed like a movie,” in both on photography and regarding the pain of others. Sontag herself suffered from extreme experiences such as war and the unlimited pain it brings with it, both for the suffering and for the ones helplessly watching.

Perhaps what Sontag meant was that it felt like a movie, in the sense that there is so much action and subsequently so many interpretive meanings to be derived from it. The photographs in questions show what actually happens in a war. The human aspect of it; pain, bleeding, wound and amputated bodies. This is not usually emphasized in photographs and remains an elusive aspect of many people around the world who have been lucky enough to never experience war. Photographs should be actual evidence of war and war happenings.

They need to present the true yet hurtful aspect of it. Only when it captures what is true is photography actually authentic. Sontag’s though present an interesting question, do photographs tell the truth and present the entire picture? This is because when the photographs were taken different images conveyed different ideas. All photos were different in their feel, concept, idea and angles. Sontag’s points out that even in a war when photography is involved, there need to be a number of editing to be done.

The object and subject need to be defined carefully and taken into account. One clear example is the camera man’s intention. The image maybe of an extreme situation but if the photographer wishes to portray it differently, then the overall net result of the image will be different. The subjectivity of the photographer would have played a huge role in it. Sontag’s opinion is that all people feel when they view these photographs is pity. The emotions cannot penetrate any further since people have not experienced war themselves.

Sontag calls it a movie like experience simply because she feels that it remains in the realm of the unreal and fantastic. It becomes limited to a simple cathartic experience. Human feelings through photographs are meant to do more, not just entertain and inform.