What We Are Reading Today: Art in a State of Siege

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Updated 07 February 2025 22:03
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What We Are Reading Today: Art in a State of Siege

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Author: Joseph Leo Koerner

What do artworks look like in extreme cases of collective experience?

What signals do artists send when enemies are at the city walls and the rule of law breaks down, or when a tyrant suspends the law to attack from inside? Art in a State of Siege tells the story of three compelling images created in dangerous moments and the people who experienced them—from Philip II of Spain to Carl Schmitt—whose panicked gaze turned artworks into omens.