poesis

Poesis (from the Greek ποιεῖν “to make”) is a term employed in literary theory, philosophy, and the humanities to denote the process of creation, especially the act of producing poetry or artistic works. In classical Greek thought, poiesis was contrasted with praxis (action) and theoría (contemplation), emphasizing the generative aspect of language and imagination. The concept was central to Aristotle’s poetics, where he examined the mechanisms by which poetry evokes emotion and imitates reality.

Modern scholarship extends poesis to encompass a broader range of creative practices, including visual arts, music, and digital media. It is often invoked in discussions of the relationship between form and content, the role of the author, and the collaborative nature of meaning‑making. In phenomenology, thinkers such as Maurice Merleau‑Ponty have used poiesis to describe the lived experience of bringing forth something new, highlighting the embodied and intentional dimensions of artistic activity.

Poesis also appears in contemporary cultural studies as a lens for analyzing how narratives shape social identities and collective memory. In this context, the term underscores the productive power of language to construct, rather than merely reflect, reality. The concept informs pedagogical approaches that encourage students to engage in the making of texts and artifacts as a means of learning.

Overall, poesis remains a versatile concept that bridges ancient rhetorical theory and modern interdisciplinary inquiry, focusing on the dynamic, constructive act at the heart of artistic and intellectual expression.