The Mirror of Realism

Benjamin Noys (University of Chichester)

Wednesday, 12 March 2025
3.30 pm GMT / 9 pm IST
Register: factorvalue.org/realism

For many, realism in art and literature—the attempt to depict the world as it is—seems like a fundamentally conservative practice, bound to the status quo. Shouldn’t art break free from mere appearances, embracing abstraction, impression, and rupture? Isn’t modernism’s rejection of realism a sign of artistic progress?

Or have we misunderstood realism’s potential?

Benjamin Noys, professor of critical theory at the University of Chichester, argues that realism isn’t just about mirroring a static world—it can also reveal the contradictions and complexities of capitalism itself. Drawing on the work of theorist Georg Lukács, Noys makes the case for a dynamic realism: one that doesn’t simply reflect reality but actively mediates our understanding of it. If this is true, then realism isn’t an outdated relic or a passive mode of representation—it’s an underexplored resource for grasping contemporary society.

In this lecture, Noys challenges the dominance of modernism in the artistic canon and asks whether realism has been unfairly sidelined. Could realism, rather than being reactionary, be a way forward?

Join us for a provocative discussion on the politics of artistic representation, the legacy of realism, and the ongoing battle over how we see the world.

BENJAMIN NOYS is professor of critical theory at the University of Chichester. He is the author of several books, including The Matter of Language and Georges Bataille: A Critical Introduction.