MARI NA BARNES
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A WORK UNTO ITSELF
A Work Unto Itself Art and Commodification in Arendt’s Thought Marina Barnes
H
annah Arendt dedicates only one chapter of The Human Condition to works of art. In this chapter, she classifies the production of art as a work of the homo faber who fashions the human artifice. However, art does not fit neatly into Arendt’s category of work. The creative process of the artist differs from that of the standard worker, and works of art differ from standard use objects both in form and function. Art also contravenes the principle of utility that generally governs work. These distinct characteristics help art avoid the degradation experienced by the world of things when society lives for consumption alone. While Arendt argues that the modern society treats formerly durable objects as consumable goods, the unique durability and revelatory quality of art enables it to resist this commodification. This paper addresses the role of art in Arendt’s thought and in the consumer society in three parts. First, it examines the elements of the work of art that distinguish it from other objects produced through work. From there, it turns to a discussion of art’s relationship to the categories of means and ends. Finally, it explores the role art plays in society, focusing in particular on the consumptive society’s treatment of art. This paper ultimately concludes that the same qualities that set works of art apart from other fabricated objects enable art to withstand the modern attempt to reduce art to a consumptive good. Before engaging in such a discussion, it is important to clarify what is meant by “art.” Though Arendt never offers a singular definition of art, she refers to numerous different products of creative expression as art. Beyond the obvious example of the visual arts, Arendt includes music, poetry, literature, theater, and Vol. III, No. 2
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