An Overview of Theodor Adorno’s Idea’s on Aesthetics and Art

The present article deals with the vertices of major theories of Theodore Adorno (1903−63) on aesthetics and art. Not only has Adorno conducted comprehensive researches and analysis in social sciences, philosophy, and humanities, but he has also provided complicated and contemplative analyses, theoretical models, and approaches in the realms of philosophy of art and aesthetics. Consequently, mentioning his philosophical theses in the various aspects such as negative dialectic, criticism of culture, unwanted truth and so on, this article investigates the position and status of Adorno’s aesthetic discourse and its evolutionary process. Adorno’s aesthetic theory has a pivotal and focal position in the system of critical theory in his reading. This article has inferred Adorno’s ideas and viewpoints from among his ineffaceable and effective work, i.e. Aesthetics Theory, and has in turn analyzed them. Adorno’s lasting obsession with independent and authoritative art and his proposing the notion of “independence of art” have completely distinguished his aesthetics studies from those of the other critical theorists. Due to its challenging and paradoxical position in the discourse and theory of 20th century, this question of “independence of art” and disclaiming authoritative, prescriptive, and stereotypical roles for art have been analyzed in another section of the article.