Art & Beauty
Art and beauty were the topics for this weeks reading and video presentation. These are two of the most abstract things in our society as they are universal yet can take on so many forms. Denis Dutton addressed one of the major philosophical questions, “what is beauty?” in his TED talk. Dutton discussed how as a species, humans have always appreciated things of beauty. Dutton comes to the conclusion that “we [humans] find beauty in something done well.” He looks back on our ancestors, the first humans and found that even then our species appreciated something that took time and craftsmanship to make. Those skills made you a particularly suitable mate and worked in the process of natural selection. The artifacts that have been found are small hand axes and have little wear on their edges indicating they were not used for hunting but rather as a piece of art work.
I found this intriguing because I do not think of the evolution of art until the Renaissance when art really began to flourish and some of the most well-known, classic paintings were created. I believe that art really thrives in times of technological, societal, cultural, and social change. Today, technology has given us the ability to create photographs, drawings, paintings, music, theater, and mixed media art and then share that art with a huge audience via the Internet.
Despite my beliefs, I do see why Dutton claims that art is an innate ability we have engrained into our mind through generations and the evolution of our species. Darwin’s theory of natural selection surprisingly plays a key role in the development of art and there’s no doubt that art and the appreciation of beauty is a part of who we are as a species.
To watch Denis’ TED Talk click here.
Hey Sara, first of all I think you did a great job analyzing Dennis Dutton’s TED talk with the points you made. I particularly agree with the last two sentences of your second paragraph. I think art absolutely strives when our society is going through a major change, whether that is technologically, economically, or even culturally. In addition, the capabilities we have today in terms of the media give us multiple opportunities to share our work with anyone around the world. Speaking of technology, we all know that the advancements today allow us to create amazingly intricate pieces of art. While technology can provide us with this advantage, how would you compare it to a work of art that is created without the use of technology? Would you give art more “value” if it were created without the use of technology and strictly the human hand?
When answering that question, I think it is important to dive into the reality of what we truly think beauty is. Referring back to Dutton’s talk, he states that some people prefer to describe beauty as “in the culturally conditioned eye of the beholder”. By this I think he means that our culture shapes our thoughts and perceptions of art. The way that we are brought up, or the way we interact with others and what we absorb from our surroundings can influence how we view our world. That being said, why do you think one person would prefer art created with the use of technology, compared to a product strictly from the human hand? Is the preference based on individualistic notions of beauty?
This was a great response and brought up so many awesome questions so thank you Anubhav. First off, I agree that technology itself can act as a platform for art. Think of photoshop, mathematica, adobe, etc. I think you brought up a great point about whether digital art is as valued as some forms of traditional art and I do sometimes think our society places a higher value on traditional art forms. Think about how some digital art forms have become “cheap” in a sense. When I look at a magazine or tabloid there is art everywhere in the form of advertisements but this is a very different experience than when I go to an art museum and look at paintings or sculptures. I tend to enjoy the craftmanship and fine motor skills that go into traditional art forms but that’s not to say that digital art doesn’t also require a certain level of expertise. I think there’s a sort of personal preference for different art forms and that with the advent of technology we have become nostalgic and find a greater appreciation for traditional forms. Culturally, I find this nostalgia to be a large part of our very tech savvy generation and that some universal notions of beauty have been somewhat ingrained into us. However, I do also believe that each person has their own perception of beauty and whether that is something neurological, instinctual, or learned it is hard for me to say.
Sara, I like the fact that you brought up the word “nostalgia” in your response. You say “there’s a sort of personal preference for different art forms and that with the advent of technology we have become nostalgic and find a greater appreciation for traditional forms”. This reminds me of a particular statement made by Ellen in this week’s reading. She said “the reasons that we find a work accessible, striking, resonant, and satisfying are biologically endowed as well as culturally acquired” (24). Whether this is digital art or traditional art, I think this speaks to the reason why we feel certain “nostalgia” when we view different works of art. To further elaborate on the concept of nostalgia, I think it primarily depends on one’s childhood and upbringing, and this might be what she means by “biologically endowed”. The various things we experience in childhood can have a tremendous impact on the way we process our thoughts and express our feelings today. Do you agree that the nostalgia you mentioned can be traced back to one’s childhood experiences? If not, what do you think we feel, in terms of nostalgia, when it comes to viewing traditional art?
I definitely think that some nostalgia can be traced back to our childhood experiences but I also think of nostalgia in the sense of previous centuries. For example, some people may have nostalgia for what they think are “better times.” I think people often feel nostalgia when they look around and see what horrible things are happening in the world now and they reflect on simpler times in the past. I think this is the kind of nostalgia people feel from traditional art because they are brought back to another time period, they have an experience where they feel themselves in another time or place and wish they could have been alive during that time to experience that. I think this is a common experience people have when viewing art. I know when I visited the Vatican and saw the painted ceilings in the Sistine Chapel I felt like I was brought back to another time period and thought of how life must have been back then before the invention of telephones or computers or any of the luxuries we now have in the 21st century. I think classical art is definitely romanticized in this way even though it may be trying to express the difficulties of the time. I also think this is what creates our strong appreciation for classical art because we can see the amount of effort and craftsmanship that went into creating these works of art whereas we may think now that creating digital art on the computer is effortless and requires little motor skill. What are your thoughts on this?
This also brings up the question to me: if classic artists like Da Vinci or Picasso were alive today would they think lesser of modern art or would they be proud of the progression of art?
This is a fantastic discussion! You each posed thoughtful questions and spent the time to answer each other thoroughly. Keep up the great work.
Sara, I enjoyed this response to the TED talk Darwinian theory of art. In the end, you mentioned, “Despite my beliefs, I do see why Dutton claims that art is an innate ability we have engrained into our mind through generations and the evolution of our species.” So now I am curious what your core beliefs are on the subject of art. Through personal experiences, I have noticed that some individuals have a natural artistic ability while others struggle. Do you believe that this phenomena is due to genetic make-up or just something that can be acquired, like riding a bike?
You also mentioned how you belief art thrives in times of social/political change. Given today’s ever-changing society, in what ways do you find art to be thriving? To clarify, do you see a certain trend in cities with modern art, or does there seem to be a relapse in old trends? I am always curious about the different art trends throughout history and would like to see what you think is on the rise. According to the TED talk, Dutton mentioned how people from all cultures and societies seem to gravitate towards the same type of landscape design. Do you think people are still creating pieces to enable that type of design?
Karli, awesome questions! First off, I’ve always found art to be so conceptual. Personally, I am horrible at the classic styles of art like drawing, painting, etc. I actually think I got a C in pottery while I was in high school! I think some people have a natural affinity for art but I do also think it takes practice just like any other skill. I’m sure if I practiced drawing for several hours a day I would eventually improve my skills. All in all, I think it is an attainable skill for everyone but people who have the affinity and passion for art will strive to improve. To touch on your other question about thriving art, I see that art has begun to take on many different forms. For a long time art was thought of as paintings in a gallery but now days we can find art everywhere (billboards, magazines, websites, architecture, etc.). I definitely think modern art is “trendy” right now and many people enjoy going and viewing it but I think we are beginning to find a new appreciation for classic forms that maybe took more craftmanship and hands on labor. To answer your final question, I think in some ways people have started to stray from that specific landscape and focus on things that are more modern. Even in dentist offices or on posters now, we often see city scapes and pictures of famous landmarks rather than the classic landscape design that has been so common throughout time.