"Nerdrum's idea of making painting great again means reintroducing a quality concept. Again, one should be allowed to say, 'I've made something wonderful, and I'm proud of it.' It is no coincidence that Aristotle is the thinker who has most influenced the kitsch philosophy. He claims that craft has its utility and value as a means of mediation. Mimesis, or representation, is of value, not only because one finds joy and insight in recognizing a motif, but because one can recreate action in a painting. All human feelings take form in action. Stories that utilize familiar scenes and archetypal situations are, according to Aristotle, of the greatest value, because they are expressions of the universal"--Back cover.