Noted Philosopher to Explore the Aesthetics of Paul Klee's Paintings; Talk is UNCA's 2002 Dorr Endowed Lecture

John Sallis, the Edwin Erle Sparks Professor of Philosophy at Penn State University, will discuss "Death and Fire: The Strange Space of Paul Klee’s Paintings" at 12:15 p.m. Tuesday, March 26, at UNC Asheville’s Lipinsky Auditorium. The talk is the 2002 lecture in UNCA’s Laurence and Joyce Dorr series "Aesthetics: Thinking Beyond Experience." The event is free and open to the public.

Paul Klee (1879-1940) was a Swiss-born painter and graphic artist whose personal, gently humorous works are filled with allusions to dreams, music and poetry. Primitive art, surrealism, cubism and children's art blend in his small-scale, delicate paintings, watercolors and drawings. "Death and Fire," one of Klee's last paintings, makes statements on death and fate through images of a skull, a man and the fire of the sun.

Sallis, who holds a doctorate degree from Tulane University, completed postdoctoral work at several international academies, including the Universite de Paris. His areas of specialization are ancient philosophy, 19th- and 20th-century European philosophy and aesthetics.

The lecture series has been made possible by a gift from Laurence and Joyce Dorr, UNCA emeriti professors. Laurence served as vice chancellor for Academic Affairs, chair of the Philosophy Department and professor in the Humanities Program. Joyce designed, directed and chaired the UNCA music program. She was an instructor in the Music Department as well as the Arts and Ideas Program. Their endowed lecture series seeks to promote philosophical reflection on the arts.

For more information, call UNCA’s Philosophy Department at 828/251-6413.

Media Contacts:

• Dr. Gordon Wilson, UNCA Philosophy Dept. Chair, 828/251-6349
• Jill Yarnall, UNCA Public Information Assistant Director, 828/251-6526