About the book
Since Theodor Adorno's attack on the writing of poetry \"after Auschwitz,\" artists and theorists have faced the problem of reconciling the moral enormity of the Nazi genocide with the artist's search for creative freedom. In Holocaust Representation, Berel Lang addresses the relation between ethics and art in the context of contemporary discussions of the Holocaust. Are certain aesthetic means or genres \"out of bounds\" for the Holocaust? To what extent should artists be constrained by the \"actuality\" of history—and is the Holocaust unique in raising these problems of representation?
The dynamics between artistic form and content generally hold even more intensely, Lang argues, when art's subject has the moral weight of an event like the Holocaust. As authors reach beyond the standard conventions for more adequate means of representation, Holocaust writings frequently display a blurring of genres. The same impulse manifests itself in repeated claims of historical as well as artistic authenticity. Informing Lang's discussion are the recent conflicts about the truth-status of Benjamin Wilkomirski's \"memoir\" Fragments and the comic fantasy of Roberto Benigni's film Life Is Beautiful. Lang views Holocaust representation as limited by a combination of ethical and historical constraints. As art that violates such constraints often lapses into sentimentality or melodrama, cliché or kitsch, this becomes all the more objectionable when its subject is moral enormity. At an extreme, all Holocaust representation must face the test of whether its referent would not be more authentically expressed by silence—that is, by the absence of representation.
Editions of Holocaust Representation
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9780801864155
- Paperback
- ISBN 9780801877452
- EBook
- ISBN 9780801876363
Read an Excerpt
Since Theodor Adorno's attack on the writing of poetry \"after Auschwitz,\" artists and theorists have faced the problem of reconciling the moral enormity of the Nazi genocide with the artist's search for creative freedom. In Holocaust Representation, Berel Lang addresses the relation between ethics and art in the context of contemporary discussions of the Holocaust. Are certain aesthetic means or genres \"out of bounds\" for the Holocaust? To what extent should artists be constrained by the \"actuality\" of history—and is the Holocaust unique in raising these problems of representation?
The dynamics between artistic form and content generally hold even more intensely, Lang argues, when art's subject has the moral weight of an event like the Holocaust. As authors reach beyond the standard conventions for more adequate means of representation, Holocaust writings frequently display a blurring of genres. The same impulse manifests itself in repeated claims of historical as well as artistic authenticity. Informing Lang's discussion are the recent conflicts about the truth-status of Benjamin Wilkomirski's \"memoir\" Fragments and the comic fantasy of Roberto Benigni's film Life Is Beautiful. Lang views Holocaust representation as limited by a combination of ethical and historical constraints. As art that violates such constraints often lapses into sentimentality or melodrama, cliché or kitsch, this becomes all the more objectionable when its subject is moral enormity. At an extreme, all Holocaust representation must face the test of whether its referent would not be more authentically expressed by silence—that is, by the absence of representation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Holocaust Representation about?
Since Theodor Adorno's attack on the writing of poetry \"after Auschwitz,\" artists and theorists have faced the problem of reconciling the moral enormity of the Nazi genocide with the artist's search for creative freedom. In Holocaust Representation, Berel Lang addresses the relation between ethics and art in the context of contemporary discussions of the Holocaust. Are certain aesthetic means or genres \"out of bounds\" for the Holocaust? To what extent should artists be constrained by the \"actuality\" of history—and is the Holocaust unique in raising these problems of representation?
The dynamics between artistic form and content generally hold even more intensely, Lang argues, when art's subject has the moral weight of an event like the Holocaust. As authors reach beyond the standard conventions for more adequate means of representation, Holocaust writings frequently display a blurring of genres. The same impulse manifests itself in repeated claims of historical as well as artistic authenticity. Informing Lang's discussion are the recent conflicts about the truth-status of Benjamin Wilkomirski's \"memoir\" Fragments and the comic fantasy of Roberto Benigni's film Life Is Beautiful. Lang views Holocaust representation as limited by a combination of ethical and historical constraints. As art that violates such constraints often lapses into sentimentality or melodrama, cliché or kitsch, this becomes all the more objectionable when its subject is moral enormity. At an extreme, all Holocaust representation must face the test of whether its referent would not be more authentically expressed by silence—that is, by the absence of representation.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Holocaust Representation?
History and Archaeology > History > History: specific events and topics > Social and cultural history
Where can I read a sample of Holocaust Representation?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9780801864155
Who is/are the Author/s of the book Holocaust Representation?
Berel Lang
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
Holocaust Representation is available as hardcover(ISBN 9780801864155) and paperback(ISBN 9780801877452) and ebook(ISBN 9780801876363)
Where can I buy Holocaust Representation online or support local independent bookshops?
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Where can I buy Holocaust Representation?