The highbrow and the popular in art. Some social theories about cultural diversity

Abstract

The debate on what is considered highbrow or popular in art is still valid even though it often seems finished and hackneyed. However, the complexity of our current consumer societies motivates the development of theories that defend the existence of multiculturalism. It also raises the difficulty of establishing cultural limits related to social limits. This article proposes there is also a set of theories from the last century that reflect on social boundaries in the field of cultural production. These proposals can be analyzed considering art as a field of restricted output - production, mediation, and reception - ,as proposed by Pierre Bourdieu. It is about providing current artistic theories other perspectives on the subject that dialogue with reflections on multiculturalism. The ultimate objective is to collaborate to analyze the present hierarchies in the cultural field with greater realism and depth.