Abstract

The aim of this article is to show that, according to Theodor Adorno, art is knowledge, it has gnoseological relevance, and is linked to truth. While Adorno makes a radical separation and distinction between art and philosophy, at the same time he claims that they have a complementary and collaborative relationship. This relationship can only be grounded on the understanding of art as dialectics and estrangement from the real world. The dialectical link with concrete reality grounds two aesthetic concepts that characterize the peculiar way of thinking in art, namely, “mimesis” and “expression.” After dealing with the mimetic-expressive condition of art, the article clarifies the complementary relationship between art and philosophy.