Philosophy and Art: Questions to vanessa Brassey
Vanessa Brassey is a an artist and philosophy professor at King’s College London, who merged her two passions into a 3-episode video series exploring the concept of time. We asked her a few questions about her project, public philosophy and the relationship between philosophy and art.
Can you briefly describe the “Time for Beauty” project?
During my PhD, which was an investigation into the intricate relationship between art and emotions, I became interested in perspective taking and memory. Both topics raised many more questions that I found answers for. A significant portion of these revolved around the concept of time. In light of this, I decided to apply for the BSA Postdoctoral Fellowship, and I was thrilled to learn that I had been awarded the fellowship for the 2022-3 term.
The focus of my postdoctoral project revolves around defining and exploring time-based aesthetic properties within still pictures. My intuition is that by doing so, we can gain a deeper understanding of how sophisticated emotions, such as regret, nostalgia, and euphoria, are both represented and expressed in images that ostensibly do not move. To put it in slogan form, I propose that pictures are time-machines that invite us to adventure beyond ‘now’.
2. You chose to host both philosophers and artists in “Time for beauty” and you yourself are both. What is the relationship between these two things, in your life and in your work? How do they influence and inform each other?
That's a great question, and there are multiple ways in which these activities interact in a constructive manner for me.
First and foremost, there is a remarkable emotional balancing effect. Engaging with philosophy can often leave me tangled up in knots of frustration; puce with frustration; blue with bewilderment. Lonely. Confused. And so on. Painting just helps alleviate some of those negative, tiring (and I’ll admit tearful) moments. Instead of consuming coffee or endlessly snacking on biscuits, painting can help pace the week.
Additionally, philosophy grounds me and presents intriguing intellectual challenges that I can contemplate during the setup and cleanup hours in the studio.
Despite the stark differences between these activities, there is a fascinating intellectual synergy between them. Whether I'm immersed in philosophy or painting, both endeavors involve observing the world in an effort to make sense of it and I find they both disclose similar values albeit in unique ways.
3. “Time for beauty” features images, lectures, music performance, but as a whole, it is a video series, a powerful popularising tool. Why did you choose this format and, more generally, what do you think about public philosophy’s endeavours?
Indeed, I share the sentiment that films offer a friendliness that is often lacking in typical conferences. Coming from a background in corporate filmmaking, where the focus is on conveying information in a straightforward manner, I find it beneficial to test my own understanding of complex and sometimes counterintuitive philosophical ideas through engaging in conversations. Film serves as a valuable tool for me in this regard, as it allows me the time and space to articulate my ideas, something that is challenging to do on the spot during conferences where the pace is often rapid and demanding.
Using film as a medium enables me to present headline propositions, raise initial questions, and provide the audience with the opportunity to reflect and contemplate the ideas at hand. This approach felt particularly fitting for exploring the topic of "Time for Beauty," as I am still in the process of scrutinizing the notion that time can serve as a facilitator of beauty and other properties in pictures. The films I created helped to maintain a sense of openness and exploration during the initial literature review.
As social creatures, we possess the capacity to embrace and engage with diverse and challenging perspectives. Philosophy offers valuable etiquette and guidance on how to handle ideas that might initially make us uncomfortable. My hope is that the film format will encourage all philosophy students to join the conversation, as it provides a welcoming entry point to the exploration of philosophical concepts.
For individuals who are entirely new to philosophy, we have been running a series called "A First Brush with Philosophy," specifically designed to initiate and foster dialogue. We recently concluded the third series, and you can find the game and the results on our website here:
www.philosophyarts.co.uk/films-and-articles/phase-ii-a-first-brush-with-philosophy
4. Have you participated in other initiatives to communicate about your research to a broader audience or engaged in philosophy outside of academia?
As of now, I am currently in the process of writing journal papers and working on a book. We have an exciting project in the works, set to be published in 2024 with Routledge, titled "The Expression of Emotion in the Visual Arts." This book takes a fresh look at the question of how emotions are conveyed through visual artistic expression.
5. Can you tell us something about the genesis of “Time for beauty”? How did you come up with the idea? How did you find your speakers?
The initial idea for this project emerged while I was assisting Professor Matt Soteriou on a memory and dreaming project. Matt suggested I read Sartre's "Imaginarium," which piqued my interest, along with the latest developments in neuroscience related to tracking sleep mentation. When I proposed the conference, I made a conscious decision to incorporate ideas from disciplines beyond aesthetics. I invited speakers who I had collaborated with previously, as well as researchers, academics, and artists whose work I deeply admire. I reached out to each of them, and I was delighted to see their enthusiastic response and willingness to participate in the project. It has been an exciting endeavor to bring together such a diverse and talented group of individuals to explore these interdisciplinary connections and to have the opportunity to film in some great locations.