Lyotard's Small Narratives in Art

Abstract

In this BA thesis Jean-François Lyotard's analysis of the legitimacy problem in The postmodern condition is applied to the field of art. Lyotard sees science, and all social engagements, as a collection of different language games, or small narratives. These narratives do not legitimate the entire field of science, but only a small part of it. The postmodern condition, according to Lyotard, is the incredulity towards grand narratives, which do try to legitimate entire fields. Within art we find the most resistance against grand narratives. Where Lyotard in his aesthetics wrote about the work of art and the artist, this thesis focuses on the appreciator, who engages in a language game with the work of art. The enjoyment of this game leads to the enjoyment of the work and different people enjoy different works of art for different kinds of reasons. The research is accompanied by a creative piece in which a work of art is appreciated from different angles and serves as an illustration of the research.