What’s the use of art? We can hang it on the wall or watch it on a movie screen, but does it have a purpose? In her upcoming lecture, Dr. Kathleen Wall will attempt to answer this question. She will argue that “defining art is probably the first step in considering its usefulness to us. But that definition should be careful to include, as much as possible, what moves and excites most of us.” Wall says in determining art’s usefulness, we have to ask ourselves what works of art--movies, books, song lyrics--make us want to have a conversation, both with the work itself and with others about our reactions to it. “It's that conversation” she says, “that helps us understand what we value and how we share our humanity with others.”

Wall has been teaching in the English Department at the University of Regina since 1990. She is an award-winning teacher, a poet, and a Virginia Woolf scholar. Her questions about how Virginia Woolf conceived of a social role for art have led to her interest in the intersection between aesthetics and public life.

This latest installment of the Faculty of Arts’ popular Coffee House Controversies series will take place Thurs., March 15 at 7:30 p.m. in Chapters bookstore behind the Southland Mall (2625 Gordon Road).

Coffee House Controversies aims to bring the research interests of Faculty of Arts members to the community. Speakers give an informal 20-minute talk focusing on a controversial topic of interest to the general public. The talks are intended to encourage the open exchange of ideas. Twenty minutes of discussion follows each talk, during which members of the general public can ask questions or raise issues with the speaker or other audience members. The events are free and open to the public. Contact Jennifer Arends at 585-4226 for more information.