艺术是用来观察社会的!——论尼克拉斯·卢曼的艺术社会学

On Art as Collective Observation in a Social System——Social Functions of Art in Niklas Luhmann's Sociology of Art

文章基于尼克拉斯·卢曼的艺术社会学对艺术在社会中的功能的全方位描述,将艺术定义为一个社会子系统,强调人人透过艺术作品观察社会;展览以及由它引起的大众媒体中的批评活动,是在搅动全社会的艺术交往,最终推进了整体的社会交往。这一立场将艺术看作是社会中人人手里的工具,将当代艺术看作是一个与政治、经济、法律系统平行的社会交往手段。本研究的结论拓宽了当前的艺术理论眼光,将艺术行动放大为:观察社会和观察者自身的日常手段之一。

Based on Luhmann＇s sociology of art, the paper claims that art is available to everyone in society for observing themselves and the social system as well. The art world is comprised of artworks, and their exhibitions and the following communication about them in the mass media are taken as a test ground for the collective opinions about society, independent and free of cost and frictions. In this sense, art is regarded as essential for adequate social communication in that it is as important as politics,science and love.