The semblance of subjectivity

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Theodor W. Adorno, who passed away in 1969, left behind his last major work, Asthetische Theorie, published posthumously in 1970. Renowned for his deep understanding of contemporary art, particularly music, Adorno's writings have only recently gained significant attention in the English-speaking academic community. This collection of essays represents a vital contribution to the ongoing discourse surrounding Adorno's aesthetics within Anglo-American scholarship. The essays, authored by leading Adorno scholars from the U.S. and Germany, revolve around the themes of semblance and subjectivity. Semblance, or illusion, connects Adorno to thinkers like Marx, Nietzsche, and Freud, while subjectivity reflects his enduring engagement with a philosophy of consciousness influenced by Kant, Hegel, and Lukacs. Adorno's exploration of these concepts unfolds through complex dialectical movements. He argues that, despite its association with illusion since Plato's Republic, art possesses a unique ability to critique illusion, including its own. His aesthetic theory underscores the interplay between aesthetic and social theory, showcasing how traditional concepts can be transformed into innovative theoretical tools.