Strange Tools: Art and Human Nature is Alva Noё’s latest contribution to our understanding of the nature of mind and human experience. In the book, Noё wrestles with questions such as, “What is art?” “Why is art so important?” and “What does art tell us about ourselves?” The book makes a case for art being part of human nature, but also explains why scientific approaches to art have not been particularly successful. At the Getty, Noё will be joined by famed choreographer William Forsythe. Together they examine dance and human experience, discussing Noё’s assertion that choreography and other forms of art are philosophical practices, and exploring the many connections between dance and philosophy.
Alva Noё is a professor of philosophy at the University of California, Berkeley, where he also serves as a member of the Institute for Cognitive and Brain Sciences. He previously was a Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York and a philosopher-in-residence with The Forsythe Company. Noё was awarded a Guggenheim fellowship in 2012, and is a weekly contributor to NPR’s science blog 13.7: Cosmos & Culture.
William Forsythe is recognized as one of the world’s foremost choreographers. His work is acknowledged for reorienting the practice of ballet from its identification with classical repertoire to a dynamic 21st-century art form. Forsythe’s deep interest in the fundamental principles of organization has led him to produce a wide range of projects including installations, films, and web-based projects.
Getty Perspectives is an occasional series that brings distinctive voices to the Getty to discuss the arts and the relationship of visual practices to our broader public culture.
Getty Perspectives: Alva Noё and William Forsythe will be held on Thursday, November 12, at 7:00pm at the Getty Center in the Harold M. Williams Auditorium. Tickets are free, but reservations are recommended. Call 310.440.7300 or reserve online.