The Esthetic Dimension of the Experience of the Past

Abstract

The following text is an attempt to look at various dimensions of esthetic experience of the past; the past which manifests itself in the act of creation. The works of several contemporary artists which refer to the past and are concerned with uncovering the past are viewed from the perspective of hermeneutical contemplation on the reception of the past through art. The examples of artistic activity presented here allow us to understand the esthetic idea and artistic gesture in the works of Michael Kos, Max Seibald, Anna Maria Kramm and Marek Sienkiewicz, employed by the artists in order to enliven the past and give it a new, artistic dimension and meaning that contemporary people can understand. The accompanying photos visualize their artistic activities.