Ruben Östlund – The Square

Thinking Through Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (1770–1831)’s Philosophy on the Art Essence

Ruben Östlund’s The Square functions as a satirical dissection of modern art, morality, and social hypocrisy. From a Hegelian perspective, this film is a profound exploration of the contradictions inherent in contemporary social institutions and the struggle for ethical self-consciousness within an increasingly fragmented world.

Art as Social Reflection: The Square as a Concept

In Hegel’s philosophy, art is a manifestation of the Absolute Spirit, reflecting the evolving consciousness of freedom and ethical life (Sittlichkeit). In The Square, the titular art installation—a literal square on the ground signifying a sanctuary of trust and care—serves as an allegory for the ideal of community. This ideal, however, is continually deconstructed as human selfishness and institutional failings expose the square’s conceptual fragility.

The essence of art in this film lies not in aesthetic beauty but in the confrontation between idealized moral aspirations and the harsh realities of social behavior. Hegel would view this tension as a dialectical process: the art installation’s conceptual purity is negated by the flawed humanity it seeks to encompass. The Square, as an artwork, embodies the synthesis of utopian idealism and pragmatic failure, revealing how art, as a social construct, becomes alienated from its intended ethical function.

Contradiction and Irony: Art Versus Reality

Hegel asserted that art must elevate human consciousness beyond mere appearances to grasp deeper truths. The Square subverts this notion by revealing how the institutional art world fails to inspire genuine ethical engagement. The curator, Christian, embodies the modern dilemma of aesthetic idealism clashing with moral cowardice. His curated space—intended as a haven of empathy—becomes a site where selfishness, indifference, and violence unfold, thus negating the very spirit of the artwork.

Östlund’s use of irony is profoundly Hegelian, as it exposes the dissonance between the ideal and the actual. Hegel would interpret the film’s portrayal of institutionalized art as a manifestation of spirit’s estrangement from itself. The film critiques how contemporary art spaces, rather than fostering communal consciousness, often isolate and alienate individuals, rendering the supposed moral space of “The Square” an empty signifier.

The Dialectic of Freedom and Responsibility

One of Hegel’s core tenets is that freedom must be actualized through ethical action, not merely posited as an abstract ideal. Christian’s failure to address the consequences of his actions—both in his personal life and as a curator—highlights the inability of modern individuals to reconcile personal autonomy with social responsibility. The chaotic performance piece within the museum, where a man imitates a wild animal and terrorizes the guests, epitomizes the breakdown of rational social order into primal chaos.

This scene exemplifies Hegel’s notion of the collapse of ethical life when abstract freedom is not grounded in concrete moral actions. The audience’s passive acceptance of the performer’s aggression underscores the failure to act ethically within the communal space of art. Hegel would see this as a tragic negation where human dignity is compromised by the unwillingness to assert moral agency.

The Problem of Aesthetic Autonomy

In Hegelian aesthetics, art should mediate between the universal and the particular, revealing spiritual truth through sensuous form. However, The Square critiques the autonomy of contemporary art as disconnected from real human concerns. The installation, though conceptually pure, becomes irrelevant when tested against the messy complexity of real-world ethics. Hegel might interpret this as an indictment of modern art’s retreat into abstraction, losing its power to shape ethical consciousness.

Christian’s moral failure when confronted with the consequences of his own actions—misjudging a child accused of theft and then failing to make amends—parallels the institutional failure of “The Square” as an artwork. This failure of reconciliation mirrors Hegel’s critique of art that remains abstract, unable to penetrate the lived reality of ethical engagement.

Satire as Artistic Truth

According to Hegel, art’s highest purpose is to convey truth in a way that elevates human consciousness. The Square achieves this not through beauty or harmony but through satirical critique, a method that exposes the contradictions between proclaimed values and actual behaviors. In presenting the art institution as a microcosm of societal hypocrisy, Östlund challenges the audience to reflect on their own complicity in maintaining superficial ideals while neglecting genuine ethical practice.

The film’s fragmented narrative structure, oscillating between absurdity and moral confrontation, mirrors the disjointed state of contemporary consciousness. Hegel might interpret this as a reflection of spirit’s struggle to find coherence in a fragmented ethical landscape. The failure of the square as a communal space becomes a symbolic commentary on modernity’s crisis of moral consensus.

Alienation and the Quest for Authenticity

Hegel’s philosophy often addresses the alienation of spirit when societal structures become detached from human essence. In The Square, the titular artwork’s failure to generate empathy exemplifies this alienation. The curated space of supposed social harmony becomes instead a stark reflection of moral indifference, where institutional prestige masks the absence of genuine human connection.

Christian’s personal journey—a quest for redemption through superficial apologies—embodies the futility of attempting to restore integrity without confronting one’s own ethical failures. This portrayal of fragmented identity and hollow remorse aligns with Hegel’s critique of modernity’s detachment from authentic ethical life.

Conclusion: The Art of Ethical Reflection

In The Square, Östlund constructs a cinematic space where art’s idealism collides with the flawed realities of human nature. Hegel would recognize this as a dialectical process where the spirit, in seeking unity through artistic ideals, encounters its own contradiction in the ethical failures of its practitioners. The film does not resolve these contradictions but instead lays bare the discord between aesthetic ambition and social practice.

By employing satire to critique the art world’s moral posturing, The Square becomes an artwork that challenges the very premise of artistic and ethical sincerity. In this sense, the film aligns with Hegel’s notion that true art must not only present ideals but also confront their practical implications, urging the viewer to question the authenticity of both artistic and social norms.

In the final analysis, The Square stands as a profound Hegelian exploration of modern art’s struggle to maintain relevance in a world where ideals and actions remain perilously divided. The film itself becomes a space where contradictions are not resolved but rather exposed, challenging both artists and audiences to reassess the role of art as a catalyst for ethical reflection.