Depraved by Daisy Dixon

Depraved by Daisy Dixon

'From classical painting to video games, this survey of the taboo and the twisted won't let you look away . . . A timely and punchy new book' Guardian

'Skips with panache across periods and genres, connecting disparate ideas and artworks . . . Even at its most provocative, Dixon's book remains lucid and engaging' Alastair Sooke, Daily Telegraph

'Compelling . . . Dixon, in this deeply impressive book, argues that art can help change the world. Let's hope she's right' New Statesman

What makes an artwork immoral? Why do these troubling creations have such a hold on us? And how should we deal with them?

We live in a moment when the dangers of art seem more prevalent than ever: artists are 'cancelled' for their misdeeds, public statues are toppled, images of violence and obscenity await us at the touch of a button. But as this provocative new history demonstrates, we humans have always used art to make sense of the less innocent aspects of ourselves and the world around us.

In Depraved, philosopher of art Daisy Dixon takes the reader on a journey through some of the most volatile and contentious works ever produced - from prehistoric sculpture to extreme metal music, Renaissance paintings to video games. She reveals how beautiful art can sometimes be the most insidious, and why the greatest threat might lie in our own judgements about the art we censor or condemn.

Above all, Dixon builds a powerful case for returning the terrible gaze of our disturbing creations, showing how we can confront them head-on and tame their toxic effects.

Dr Daisy Dixon is a prize-winning philosopher with a PhD from the University of Cambridge. She is a Lecturer in Philosophy at Cardiff University, and specialises in the philosophy of art - particularly immoral and dangerous art that entrenches structural injustice. She has published in academic journals on topics including oppressive monuments, aesthetic protest and deceptive art, and has presented her work on immoral artists on BBC Radio and multiple podcasts. Dixon also has an art practice in painting and sonic sculpture.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9780571383221
ISBN 10	057138322X
Title	Depraved
Author	Daisy Dixon
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Hardback
Publisher	Faber & Faber
Year published	2026-06-18
Number of pages	256
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.