Book challenges sociological approach to mass art

The edited volume 'Les arts de masse en question,' overseen by Jean-Pierre Cometti, features insights from Marjorie Caveribère, Christophe Kihm, Jacinto Lageira, Jacques Morizot, Roger Pouivet, and Joëlle Zask. It builds upon Roger Pouivet's 2003 publication, 'L'Œuvre d'art à l'âge de sa mondialisation,' which advocated for an ontological perspective on mass art, contrasting with the sociological approach that emphasizes social and historical contexts. The contributors argue that philosophy can still engage with modern realities by embracing innovative language games and moving beyond its critical legacy. They suggest that debates around definitions of high, popular, or mass art are unproductive, instead highlighting the potential of industrial and technological contexts—such as amplification, network, folklore, game, adaptation, and machine—to reveal semantic depth. Addressing the complexities of mass arts requires anchoring amidst turbulent currents, as universalist narratives risk failure while case study-driven concepts show promise.