Depraved

Philosopher and artist Daisy Dixon takes readers on an unconventional tour through the history of art, looking at works that society has branded depraved, obscene or dangerous. Her examples range from prehistoric sculpture to extreme metal music, and from classical paintings to videogames.

By probing how moral judgments have changed over time, the book raises basic questions about art, censorship, social progress and the old argument over right and wrong. Can an artwork speak? How can it shape or distort the world around it? Who decides that a work is depraved, and what qualities make it so? And what, if anything, should we do about it?

Dixon writes against a backdrop of renewed criticism of art in cultural and political life, and she argues that such art deserves careful examination. In her view, understanding the long history of depraved art is the way to see our own age clearly. Art can be dangerous, but censorship can be just as damaging, so she asks where that leaves us. Drawing on wit, curious anecdotes and sharp analysis, she sketches a way forward that calls for a fresh understanding of what art is.