Invented Worlds: The Psychology of the Arts

Resource Summary

Unlike other human universals—language, tool use, the family—art makes no material contribution to mankind's survival. Dealing with the three major art forms: painting, music, and literature, Ellen Winner shows how the artist fashions a symbolic world that transforms the experience of the observer. She probes the adult's ability to create and respond to works of art. In addition, she examines children's art for what it can reveal about the artistic impulse before adult convention becomes a shaping force. Finally, in order to reach a better understanding of the biological bases of artistry, Winner discusses the art of the mentally disturbed and the neurologically impaired patient. ISBN: 978-0674463615