Beyond Aesthetics: Ekphrasis and the Poetic Engagement with Art

Abstract

The present study examines ekphrasis as a conduit for facilitating a more profound and meaningful engagement with the mysteries of the works of art and as a means of transcending established notions of aesthetics, dismantling the conventional subject/object dichotomy, resisting the pervasive technological enframing of our world, and fostering a mode of dwelling characterized by its poetic essence. The study aims to demonstrate that by intertwining language and visual representation, ekphrasis challenges our assumptions regarding the nature of beauty, invites us to see beyond the surface of things and opens us new possibilities for understanding and interpretation. Anchored in the philosophical framework of Martin Heidegger, the investigation illuminates the potent role of ekphrasis in disrupting customary modes of perception, compelling a reconsideration of our engagement with art in a manner that aligns with authenticity, immersive involvement and poetic mode of dwelling to cultivate a deeper embeddedness in the world and to foster a sense of wonder and appreciation in our encounter with the interconnectedness of entities.