My blogs

Art and Authenticity

About me

Location	Minneapolis, MN
Introduction	Authenticity implies, first, a state of existing as, or in appropriate connection with, an original instantiation of some phenomena. Authenticity also implies a state of ontological superiority over secondary instantiations or imitations. Put simply, if we say something is “authentic” we mean that it is more real than the alternative. The current vogue of pursuing authenticity suggests that we see our present environment, and even ourselves, as inauthentic. To the extent that we search for the authentic elsewhere, we see our own circumstances as somehow less than real, and certainly as inadequate. There is often reason to be suspicious of attempts to divide the world’s phenomena into distinct ontological types. At the same time, however, such concerns provide a lens through which we view the world around us. If we believe our environment is inauthentic, this not only reflects our understanding of the world around us, it also changes that world. I am interested in questions of identity, authenticity, and ontology in art, architecture, and popular culture. This blog doesn't presume to answer any questions, just to have some fun with them.

Location

Minneapolis, MN

Introduction

Authenticity implies, first, a state of existing as, or in appropriate connection with, an original instantiation of some phenomena. Authenticity also implies a state of ontological superiority over secondary instantiations or imitations. Put simply, if we say something is “authentic” we mean that it is more real than the alternative. The current vogue of pursuing authenticity suggests that we see our present environment, and even ourselves, as inauthentic. To the extent that we search for the authentic elsewhere, we see our own circumstances as somehow less than real, and certainly as inadequate. There is often reason to be suspicious of attempts to divide the world’s phenomena into distinct ontological types. At the same time, however, such concerns provide a lens through which we view the world around us. If we believe our environment is inauthentic, this not only reflects our understanding of the world around us, it also changes that world. I am interested in questions of identity, authenticity, and ontology in art, architecture, and popular culture. This blog doesn't presume to answer any questions, just to have some fun with them.