The Conundrum of Control: Making Sense through Artistic Practices (Brill Research Perspectives in Art and Law, 2024)

Various forms of control play a central role in our lives. However, the nature of control is a difficult conundrum to probe. Believing we "control" ourselves, nature or others may seem like a sign of autonomy, power and self-determination, but it is often an illusion and not always desirable. Art practices help us make sense of the questions and paradoxes related to the enhancing interplay between control and non-control by putting them on display. What happens if this interplay between the two poles collapses? What are the consequences for our forms of life?

Stefano Velotti, Ph.D. (1961), Sapienza - University of Rome, is Professor of Aesthetics at that university. His research lies at the crossroads of aesthetics and social philosophy, fields in which he has published monographs and numerous articles.