Nietzsche, Art, and Philosophy: 150 Years of Tragedy
150 years after the publication of Nietzsche’s debut book, The Birth of Tragedy from the Spirit of Music, the provocative philosopher’s influence endures, fulfilling his own prediction that he would be “born posthumously with a voice that spans millennia.” In this seminal work, Nietzsche traces the evolution of art and culture to a dynamic interplay between two primal forces: Apollo and Dionysus. He celebrates both Greek classicists and modern romantics for their ability to affirm and even relish the aesthetic portrayals of the immense suffering that nature and the gods inflict upon humanity.
Nietzsche’s impact on art and philosophy has been monumental. It can be seen in diverse areas—from Norman Lindsay’s The Antichrist of Nietzsche (1928) and Freud’s psychoanalysis, to Warburg’s iconography and Paul Taylor’s Art & Text (1981–1999).
This book offers essays from a diverse array of scholars who are newly exploring Nietzsche’s writings and his subsequent influence at the intersection of art and philosophy. The contributions cover both ancient and modern perspectives, examining his impact in Australia and around the world.
With texts by Vincent Lê, Paris Lettau, Ursula Cornelia de Leeuw, Justin Clemens, Caitlyn Lesiuk, Vanessa Lemm, Keith Ansell-Pearson, Rex Butler, Ian McLean
