REVIEW: Glittering Images by Camille Paglia

Review by Mary Sheridan

Arts advocate Camille Paglia ignites another controversy in her latest book, Glittering Images: A Journey Through Art from Egypt to Star Wars. Her aggressively opinionated approach places George Lucas and Star Wars in the hair-trigger sights of a fine arts community that Paglia condemns for “living in the past” while neglecting the present and future. In her Introduction, Paglia virtually challenges fine arts aficionados to find fault with her vision of Star Wars as “art” and, in particular, George Lucas as an “artist.” Her audacity in granting Lucas this lofty status may indeed seem preposterous to the insular world of fine art in which Lucas may be considered the antithesis of a master artist. Proposing that he belongs in the rarefied company of Donatello, Monet, Picasso, Pollock, or even architects of the ancient Acropolis may simply reinforce Paglia’s reputation as a talented provocateur.

Ultimately, Glittering Images is not just another trip through art history. It specifically extols the value and enduring legacy of Star Wars as it stands at the forefront of a new definition – a new era – in fine art. Camille Paglia is calling upon people who have habitually dismissed Star Wars as pop candy to instead take note of the cultural movement and artistic transformation created by the technology behind the films and their mastermind, George Lucas.

Click to read my full review.

---

Mary is a retired Registered Nurse who specialized in Trauma and Emergency medicine. Science Fiction, Fantasy, and comic books top her list of interests, with Star Wars dozens of parsecs ahead of the pack. Mary likes to dabble in multimedia creative expression and also strives to become a better writer. A professional horsewoman for many years, she continues to ride regularly.