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"Eye of Inspiration"
By Indira Emmerlich
Kant’s View on Beauty
Although we may say ‘beauty is in the eye of the beholder’, that is not how we act. Instead, we debate and argue about our aesthetic judgments – and especially about works of art -and we tend to believe that such debates and arguments can actually achieve something. Indeed, for many purposes, ‘beauty’ behaves as if it were a real property of an object, like its weight or chemical composition. But Kant insists that universality and necessity are in fact a product of features of the human mind and that there is no objective property of a thing that makes it beautiful.
Reference: Kant
What is Ugly?
Ugliness is ugly. Beauty is beautiful. But the words are not simply descriptors. They are also moral evaluations. Consider the meanings listed in the Concise Oxford for Ugly: " Unpleasing or repulsive to sight...morally repulsive, vile, discreditable, unpleasant... " etc; and for Beauty : " Combination of qualities, as shape, proportion, color, in human face or form, or in other objects, that delights the sight...; combined qualities delighting the other senses, the moral sense, or the intellect... " In short, Beauty = good : physically and morally delightful. Ugly, on the other hand, = evil, bad. These two equations constitute our usually invisible and unrecognized cultural aesthetics.
The key to greater enlightenment lies in the restructuring of the moral conscience.
Reference: Psychology Today/Anthony Synnott, Ph.D.
“One cannot speak negatively of art only of one's inability to find artistic merit.”
“Artistic expression is a two part process. The creative endeavor of the artist and the creative projection of emotion and feeling on the part of the art viewer. The work of art does not convey emotion and feeling, instead it merely facilitates this. It is he who appreciates the art that interprets these feelings.
To speak negatively of art is really to speak negatively of one's own lack of emotional responsiveness.”
Source: Philosophy Forum “Fried Egg” Contributor
QUOTES:
“People will forget what you say; People will forget what you do; but they will never forget how you made them feel.”
"Childhood Dream"
Digital Brush Painting
by Pavel Melnichuk
Sharing Beauty - Insight into the art evaluation process…
Artists have a passion for beauty. They commit to giving a strong visual voice to their ideas and expanding our appreciation for all things beautiful.
The strongest and most appealing works of art are those in which the artist has made a conscious attempt to pursue inventive solutions rather than repeating proven , trite or contrived formulas. Fueled by a compulsion to take risks, artists display rich imagination. As a consequence, their works leave a “record” of the interaction between the maker and his or her art. This record is the tangible evidence of both the artist’s touch and his or her thought process. It prompts the viewer to respond in unanticipated patterns of reacting, evaluating and thinking. These responses bring viewers to a heightened understanding of their world and themselves.
Art critics and jurors often expect artists to raise difficult questions in their work. They are strongly attracted to work that suggests multiple answers rather than a single, obvious one. An immediate and easy understanding of a work signals the beginning of the end of their interest. Art that invites repeat visits is more highly valued.
Understanding an artist’s intention is key to evaluating how successful he or she articulates the content of the art. The finest artworks manifest a very potent connection between the maker’s initial idea for a piece - both conceptually and emotionally - and the final expression. The stronger pieces are ones where no “disconnects” exist to suggest a floundering of thoughts. Instead, the works communicate a sense of confidence and verve, an ability to convey idea and emotion with conviction.
In pursuit of coherence, critics and jurors will consider numerous examples by an artist. Although some artists prefer to use a wide variety of materials, techniques and styles simultaneously, most art evaluators will tell you that they have a strong preference for artists whose bodies of work reflect a singular or closely related theme or idea.
Finally, the strongest artists are those who communicate a highly developed sense of personal expression. Thoughtful and confident, these artists are distinguished by an innovative vocabulary of images and forms.
Source:“Beautiful Things” book excerpt; Contributors: Glenn Adamson, Chris Byrne, Victor Landweber.
“The qualities that give pleasure to the senses.”
One might say that the objective of beauty is to make a difference. When we say something is beautiful are we recommending to others that they should take delight in it? Is beauty objective? Can we argue rationally about whether something is beautiful?
The philosopher Kant thought that if we think something is beautiful then we want everyone to agree with us. But the truth is perception is a skill. Would the world be better off if everyone agreed on what is beautiful? Or, is what we find beautiful a reflection of our own personality and individuality? Does beauty really matter?
Reference: Nehamas/Philosophy Talk
Beauty Today
There is a bold resurgence of a “vernacular” type of beauty these days, a beauty that everyone can experience, not only in theory but also in practice. An idea of beauty that gives more credit to those who look at art. The dictates of an abstract and supposedly universal concept have been overthrown, as the viewer becomes the arbiter of what is and is not beautiful. The premise that art should confound the uninitiated is, after all, an elitist idea.
Showing both the justifiable pride and the lamentable intolerance of modernism, Picasso once said, “the fact that for a long time cubism has not been understood means nothing. I do not read English; an English book is a blank book to me. This does not mean that the English language does not exist, and why should I blame anyone else but myself if I cannot understand what I know nothing about?” In response it might well be asked, “why should we have to struggle to learn how to appreciate art when it clearly reaches out to us in an uncontrived attempt to please?”
The notion that beauty went away on a long hiatus is only credible if one looks at the thinnest possible definition of art, perhaps only the paintings and sculptures of the European and American avant-garde tradition. Most authorities on art seem to agree that beauty is “in” again in all forms of art. An appreciation for aesthetics is on the rise leaving many to wonder why it has been away so long.
Source: Guild.com
Jan Kölling
This week's publication of "Mary's Page" marks our 50th Issue! Thank you all for contributing to our on-going success.
This page posted 17 May 2010
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