معرفی
Gerard Vilar is Full Professor of Aesthetics and Theory of the Arts in the Department of Philosophy at the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB), where he also served as Department Director. He holds a Doctorate in Philosophy from UAB (1985) and studied in Frankfurt and Constance as a DAAD and Humboldt Fellow under Jürgen Habermas and Axel Honneth. His academic career spans positions at the Barcelona School of Architecture and visiting professorships across Germany, the US, UK, and Mexico.
- Bachelor's Degree in Philosophy (UAB, 1978, Outstanding)
- PhD in Philosophy (UAB, 1985, cum Laude)
Vilar's research focuses on the Philosophy of Contemporary Art, Critical Theory (particularly the Frankfurt School), Aesthetics, and Theories of Rationality. His work explores connections between practical and aesthetic rationality, deartification processes, precariousness in contemporary art, and the cognitive aspects of artistic research. He has directed numerous competitive research projects including five consecutive national projects from 2001-2022 on topics ranging from contemporary art and democratic identity to artistic research epistemology.
His publication trends reveal a sustained engagement with the theoretical foundations of contemporary art, evolving from early work on rationality to recent investigations of precariousness and artistic knowledge production. The research output demonstrates consistent interdisciplinary methodology bridging philosophy, art theory, and critical social analysis.
- Extraordinary Bachelor's and Doctorate Awards
- Multiple DAAD and Humboldt Fellowships
- Leadership of Consolidated Research Group GRETA (2014-2020)
Vilar has directed approximately thirty doctoral theses and leads major research initiatives including the MICU project PGC2018-093502-B-100 (2019-2022). He founded and directed the UAB-Fundació Miró master's programs in Contemporary Art Theory (2000-2012) and serves on editorial boards of major journals including Daimon and Enrahonar. His evaluation work spans national and international agencies including ANECA, CNEAI, CONACYT, and FONDECYT.
As leader of the GRETA Research Group on Aesthetics and Theory of the Arts, Vilar coordinates a multidisciplinary team exploring the cognitive dimensions of contemporary artistic practices. His ongoing projects investigate the interface between philosophical inquiry, artistic creation, and design thinking, with particular emphasis on knowledge generation within artistic research frameworks.
