The Sleep of Reason

This book offers an original and thought-provoking exploration of a diverse range of contemporary artistic practices, set within a broader cultural context. It argues that art can teach us about the human condition and our way of coinhabiting the planet, in a unique interplay between reason and imagination, creation and contemplation, poetry and inquiry. While acknowledging that art may not have the power to save the world, the author contends that it offers profound insights into our existence and that of others, and serves as a poignant reminder of the persistent challenges that linger like indomitable monsters.

Through a combination of essays, criticism, and conversations, Pieter Vermeulen deftly examines the meaning of art in times of crisis, engaging in thoughtful dialogue with a variety of makers and thinkers, with a particular focus on Belgium’s vibrant artistic scene. Key themes include the artistic fascination with time capsules, art in outer space, the aesthetics of administration, collective experiments in self-organization, artistic quests for truth, the politics of listening, gentrification, hippie modernism, institutional critique, and the enduring power of the imagination.