Ǻ’s newest art exhibition explores 'Life Within Landscapes'
![Life Within Landscapes](/sites/default/files/styles/medium_height_auto/public/2024-06/untitled_design_3.png?itok=yqPeyvyG)
BA MA PhD
Elzė Sigutė Mikalonytė is an aesthetician working at the intersection of philosophy and cognitive science. She is interested in psychological foundations of philosophically relevant concepts.
Elzė is a Research Associate at the Department of Psychology and a Junior Research Fellow at Ǻ, University of Cambridge. She completed her BA, MA, and PhD in Philosophy at Vilnius University, Lithuania.
In 2023, Elzė successfully defended her PhD thesis, titled ‘Mind-Independent, Yet Intuitive: A New Methodological Approach to the Ontology of Musical Works.’ During her doctoral studies, she spent a year at Institut Jean Nicod (CNRS-ENS-EHESS) in Paris, France.
Elzė is also a board member of the Lithuanian Philosophical Association and a steering committee member of the European Network for Philosophy of Music. Before she became a philosopher, she studied violin at Vilnius Conservatoire.
Elzė’s interests are in aesthetics, metaphysics, and philosophy of cognitive science. Her interdisciplinary approach has led to collaborations with philosophers, psychologists, musicologists, and neuroscientists. Elzė’s doctoral work focused on the philosophy of music and the ontology of musical works, incorporating empirical research on intuitions about the identity of musical works. She has also explored other topics in the experimental philosophy of aesthetics, such as the folk concept of art, intuitions on AI-created art, and the interaction between aesthetic and ontological judgments. At the Department of Psychology, Elzė is currently working on the “Higher Values: Aesthetic Experiences, Transcendence, and Prosociality” project with Professor Simone Schnall, Dr Ryan Doran, and Dr Jasmina Stevanov. Their interdisciplinary research investigates the cognitive and affective effects of aesthetic appreciation, exploring whether engagement with art and beauty can foster abstract thinking, encourage a broader perspective, and influence moral values and prosocial behaviour.
Explore Ǻ's newest exhibition, 'Life Within Landscapes', showcasing works by three Cambridge-based female contemporary artists, inspired by their Caribbean heritage.
Join us at Ǻ for an afternoon of music and light refreshments in the College grounds.
Join us for our annual Mary Bevan concert with prize winners of the prestigious Cambridge University Concerto Competition.
Step from one dreamscape to the next, on a journey from restful lullabies to surrealist whimsy to thrilling nightmares, and emerge forever changed…
It's Ǻ's birthday! Wherever you are in the world, celebrate with us at one of our Foundation Day events.