beauty changes everything
In his book, Aesthetics: A Very Short Introduction, Bence Nanay writes, "What all things aesthetic have in common is something very simple: the way you're exercising your attention" (p.22). To illustrate what he means, Nanay uses as an example the painting The Fall of Icarus by Pieter Bruegel the Elder. Landscape with the Fall of … Continue reading Attention to Beauty
Theories of aesthetic taste have been developed in the fields of philosophy, psychology, and sociology. But market and consumer research has not spent as much time developing theories of aesthetics taste to put into their different practices. Wayne D. Hoyer and Nicola E. Stokburger-Sauer opened this discussion in their article, "The Role of Aesthetic Taste … Continue reading Consumer Taste
I have long-believed that aesthetics should be part of our everyday lives, and then philosophers started publishing books and articles about this idea I took for granted. However, I see that the literature in aesthetics did not always warrant such a conclusion, especially with an overwhelming focus on the arts. The "Everyday Aesthetics" movement in … Continue reading Quotidian Aesthetics: The Design Paradigm
THE EXPERIENCE OF BEAUTY IN THE MIDDLE AGES. By Mary Carruthers. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2013. Pp. xii+233. ISBN: 9780199590322. Most ideas from the Middle Ages are entangled in their views of theology and morality, at least that is how we often perceive it. We approach medieval ideas with the belief that theology was … Continue reading Review of The Experience of Beauty in the Middle Ages
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?
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