Pietro Conte on the Abstract Sublime and Boundary Crossing

In an interview with Davide Dal Sasso, aesthetics professor Pietro Conte discusses his research on instability, boundaries, and the abstract sublime. Conte, an associate professor at the University of Milan, explores concepts like hyperrealism, illusion, and immersivity. He edited the volume 'Il sublime astratto' (Johan & Levi), which examines the continuity between figurative and abstract sublime. Conte traces his interest in boundaries to an intolerance for disciplinary borders, citing his doctoral work on Johann Jakob Bachofen and his study of wax as a liminal material. He distinguishes between cognitive deception and aesthetic illusion, arguing that hyperrealistic wax statues and immersive VR environments require viewers to 'play the game' without being fooled. The interview revisits the mid-20th century dispute between art historian Erwin Panofsky and artist Barnett Newman over the term 'sublimis' vs. 'sublimus', which Conte finds both entertaining and crucial for understanding abstraction's relationship with figuration and ornamentation. For Newman, coherence meant morality, painting for post-Hiroshima humanity. Conte argues that the sublime remains relevant, contra James Elkins, as a name for boundary-crossing experiences across art, philosophy, religion, and science.