A post-humanist deconstruction of the modern continental aesthetic tradition

Abstract

The modern Continental aesthetic and artistic tradition is often placed in the humanist camp and implicated in the construction of totalising subject formations. In this article I emphasize the other side of the coin by analysing deconstructive tendencies at work in this tradition. I specifically note instances of metaphorical phrasing, as well as a broader ``metaphorical'' understanding of art that undermines the notion of a common, humanist aesthetic experience.