beauty changes everything
The animal only fashions things according to the standards and needs of the species it belongs to, whereas man knows how to produce according to the measure of every species and knows everywhere how to apply its inherent standard to the object: thus man also fashions things according to the laws of beauty. Karl Marx … Continue reading Agriculture and Aesthetics
The Urbano Project in Jamaica Plain (Boston) has a wonderful show by artist Constanza Aguirre, on view from November 9, 2018 through January 11, 2019. Her art explores the relationship that people have with work. What happens when displaced people are thereby prevented from working? Do they become less human? In my art review (see … Continue reading Review of Wandering in the Land of Oblivion
An aesthetic judgment, according to John Dobson, consists of five elements: disinterest, subjectivity, inclusivity, contemplativity, and internality. In his article "Aesthetics as a Foundation for Business Activity" (2007, Journal of Business Ethics), Dobson explains how businesses today need to consider aesthetics in their business practices. People (i.e., consumers) are no longer satisfied with the simple logical, … Continue reading The Aesthetics of Business
Robert Wellington has written a brief defense of the value of beauty in art. He explains: "Let me be clear. I am not saying that works of art ought to be beautiful. What I want to defend is our felt experience of beauty as way of knowing and navigating the world around us." He takes us … Continue reading Beauty and Art
When gas prices rise, people become less inclined to simply go for a drive that doesn't have a specific purpose other than its own delight. But one kind of drive that doesn't serve any practical purposes that people regularly take (each fall) is a trip to see autumn foliage. People from suburbs and cities alike … Continue reading Leaf-Peeping: The Search for the Aesthetic
We often think of beauty in terms of 'nice', like it's something nice to have. But, we continue, it isn't really necessary. It's something that we add to our lives, if and only if everything else is in order. We have occasion to experience beauty during times of stress, but this is surely only accidental. … Continue reading The Frivolity of Beauty?
Art is meant to be experienced. Recently in Massachusetts, there was a major push to promote the arts. Social media lit up with people holding signs that read why the arts matter—which was genuinely encouraging to see. I love art, and I commend their enthusiasm. But I’m always surprised by how many people rest their … Continue reading Why Do We Thrive on Self-Expression?
Recently, I took a trip with my wife to Budapest. On our way back to the States, we stopped in Germany. At the terminal, we sensed we were in the presence of Americans. Did we see their blue and gold passports? No. Did we hear them speak and recognize their accents? No. What gave it … Continue reading Know Yourself! (… and your Body)
The value of art is regularly called into question. Not long ago, our state reduced funding to the Massachusetts Cultural Council—an all-too-familiar pattern. In response, advocates often turn to instrumental arguments: art improves education, boosts the economy, strengthens communities. These points have merit and have helped secure funding. But are they enough? At a recent … Continue reading Why Art Matters: Beyond the Bottom Line