马修·基兰，英国利兹大学哲学讲师，英国美学学会副主席，美国哥伦比亚大学、日内瓦大学、牛津大学和英国泰特大学客座教授。主要研究领域为美学与艺术哲学、伦理学和道德心理。2005年获得英国《泰晤士报高等教育增刊》青年学术奖的提名。出版专著有《媒体伦理》和《洞悉艺术奥秘》。

Why does art matter to us, and what makes it good? Why is the role of imagination so important in art? Illustrated with carefully chosen colour and black-and-white plates of examples from Michaelangelo to Matisse and Poussin to Pollock, "Revealing Art" takes us on a compelling and provocative journey. Kieran explores some of the most important questions we can ask ourselves about art: how can art inspire us or disgust us? Is artistic judgement simply a matter of taste? Can art be immoral or obscene, and should it be censored? He brings such abstract issues to life with fascinating discussions of individual paintings, photographs and sculptures, such as Michelangelo's "Pieta", Andres Serrano's "Piss Christ" and Francis Bacon's powerful paintings of the Pope. He also suggests some answers to problems that any one in an art gallery or museum is likely to ask themselves: what is a beautiful work of art, and can art really reveal something true about our own nature? "Revealing Art "is ideal for anyone interested in debates about art today, or who has simply stood in front of a painting and felt baffled.