WELCOME
The purpose of the not-for-profit Aesthetic Realism Foundation is to meet the urgent need for people throughout the world to see each other and reality fairly. Aesthetic Realism, the philosophy founded in 1941 by the American poet and critic, Eli Siegel, is a tremendous education in how to have that fairness.
Located in SoHo, NYC, the Foundation offers an exciting curriculum of classes—see the listing below—and individual consultations by video conference. When public events resume, there will be seminars and vibrant theatrical presentations. Through the principles of Aesthetic Realism, people of all ages understand themselves newly. Read more
A Letter of Hope & Urgency, by Margot Carpenter, Aesthetic Realism Consultant, Executive Director
“At this time, when people are more aware than ever that justice is desperately needed in America and the world, I’m proud to be writing to you about the education that can have that justice really be ! It is Aesthetic Realism, founded by the great American philosopher, critic, and poet Eli Siegel. And it is based on this landmark principle: “All beauty is a making one of opposites, and the making one of opposites is what we are going after in ourselves.” Read more
Winter 2024 semester is now over. Registration for the Spring-Summer 2024 semester will begin Monday, Apr 22.
- The Aesthetic Realism Explanation of Poetry
- Anthropology Is about You & Everyone
- The Visual Arts & the Opposites
- The Aesthetic Realism Teaching Method
- The Opposites in Music
- “If It Moves, It Can Move You”: Opposites in the Cinema
- Understanding Marriage!
“Like of the World versus Racism”
—was published in the summer of 2020, a crucial time in history. It explains three hugely important things: 1) the cause of all prejudice and racism; 2) the state of mind we need to have as we think about other people if we’re going to be just to them—including, very much, people who look different from us; 3) how the way of seeing in all true art is utterly opposed to racism. The means by which people’s minds and feelings can really change from prejudice to justice is in this issue of The Right of Aesthetic Realism to Be Known! Read more
TWEET TICKER
BLOG UPDATE
“Twenty-one Distichs about Children”
Lauren Phillips, NYC middle school teacher, writes: The poem “Twenty-one Distichs about Children,” by Eli Siegel, expresses the feelings of a child—and also the meaning of a child—with beautiful respect and depth. I’m grateful for it, as an educator, mother, and now grandmother.
Terrain Gallery
Gallery Hours: Wed, Fri & Sat 1-5 PM
DOROTHY KOPPELMAN
Paintings, Prints, Drawings