"...the attack on artistic experimentation is specifically reactionary: aesthetic judgment would only be required to decide whether such or such work is in conformity with the established rule of the beautiful" (41).
Our society puts so much stress on beauty, and it's puzzling to imagine who decides what is beautiful and why. Why is being tall and thin beautiful? Why is using certain schemes of colors, and certain brush strokes, and depicting certain things considered beautiful to us? Art is unique because it is a focus of expression and always evolving, but it is paradoxical if there are rules that should be followed. Political economy plays a major role in deciding beauty in art. It all depends on who will pay how much money for a work of art to be considered valuable. "...in the absence of aesthetic criteria, it remains possible and useful to assess the value of works of art according to the profits they yield" (42). I once read about a 3 year old girl whose paintings sold for thousands of dollars. I've seen a youtube video of an elephant whose trainer taught it to paint and its works went for a lot of money as well. "Beauty exists if a certain "case" (the work of art), given first by the sensibility without any conceptual determination, the sentiment of pleasure independent of any interest the work may elicit, appeals to the principle of a universal consensus (which may never be attained)" (43).
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1 comment:
Your post is good but on the shorter side. Next time when placing quotes in your post, share more of your own thoughts. Your question of what makes something beautiful is a thought provoking one.
-Starfish
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