Following the path of art- Notes
ntroduction It is known that the idea of happiness is different for everyone. We would never have an unequivocal answer to the question, what is happiness and where it comes from. However, majority would agree that everybody seeks pleasure. Pleasure, happiness, joy, bliss, contentment all these words describe the experiences and states of mind we would like to have. What makes it possible for us to have such experiences or be in such state of mind? Leave aside the question of a universal definition of pleasure, but are we even aware about our own idea of happiness? How we get it and when? Have you ever thought about it? Perhaps, we have to give it a good thought if we want to be happy. We attain pleasure in many ways, in many forms. It is always pleasing to relish tasty spicy snacks in the chill after a drizzle. Our happiness knows no bounds when Indian team wins the world-cup. It brings great joy to us when we meet an old friend after a long time. What a great fun it is to help a young lad in the neighbourhood to ride a bicycle. We help a person with special needs to cross the road and that is a special joy! It is a gratifying feeling when we see our parents happy with our success. In other words, our idea of happiness is related to our abilities and our qualities.
Human ability to appreciate and create beauty is a very special one. This does not mean that they are absent in other organisms. Weaverbird builds a fine nest, spider knits an intricate web, birds chirp, insects crawl on sand to leave a pattern behind them, but are they capable of appreciating this as beauty? Can’t say! We can, however, say at the moment that human consciousness is more evolved than other organisms and humans have ‘awareness of awareness’.
Thus, their perception of beauty might be different than other beings. It opens a whole new world of aesthetic and artistic experience to them. Humans can experience happiness beyond the satisfaction of basic needs, in the form of pleasure or joy.
6. Following the path of art A blossoming, delicate, fragrant flower, the colorful sky at the time of sunset, deep roar of the sea, sweet chirping of birds, thundering and lightening that illuminates darkness, storms that make treetops bend and touch the ground; we witness many such attractive forms of nature. We are delighted by these experiences, sometimes feel excited, sometimes astonished, sometimes speechless! We call these experiences as aesthetic experience.
They include the experience of 81 both natural as well as man-made beauty. Visit Museums/Art museums near by your area Let’s watch! Art and art related practices depict human love for beauty and their capacity to create too. Aesthetics is a branch of philosophy that studies aesthetic and artistic experience in depth. Last year, we already had a brief introduction to this branch. It studies many questions and issues related to beauty, artistic creation and appreciation such as - what is beauty? What is the nature of aesthetic experience? What is the importance of art in human life? What is the nature of work of art? What are the elements of art process and the interrelationship among these elements? It also reflects upon concerns such as impact of art on society, relationship between art and ethics, evaluation criteria of art and the relationship between art and craft.
The concept of beauty and art have been a part of philosophical discourse since a long time. However, aesthetics as a branch of philosophy emerged only in 18th century. German philosopher Baumgarten used the term, ‘Aesthetics’ for the first time for such study. The word has its roots in Greek term Aesthanomai. Aesthanomai means sensory experience, whereas aesthetics means sensory experience and feelings, emotions created through it. Baumgarten defined aesthetics as a branch which studies aesthetic experience. Immanuel Kant differentiated ethical experience and experience of sensory pleasures from aesthetic experience. This provided philosophical basis to aesthetics. Find more information about Kant’s views on aesthetics. Let’s discover! L
Art and art related practices depict human love for beauty and their capacity to create too. Aesthetics is a branch of philosophy that studies aesthetic and artistic experience in depth. Last year, we already had a brief introduction to this branch. It studies many questions and issues related to beauty, artistic creation and appreciation such as - what is beauty? What is the nature of aesthetic experience? What is the importance of art in human life? What is the nature of work of art? What are the elements of art process and the interrelationship among these elements? It also reflects upon concerns such as impact of art on society, relationship between art and ethics, evaluation criteria of art and the relationship between art and craft. The concept of beauty and art have been a part of philosophical discourse since a long time. However, aesthetics as a branch of philosophy emerged only in 18th century. German philosopher Baumgarten used the term, ‘Aesthetics’ for the first time for such study.
The word has its roots in Greek term Aesthanomai. Aesthanomai means sensory experience, whereas aesthetics means sensory experience and feelings, emotions created through it. Baumgarten defined aesthetics as a branch which studies aesthetic experience. Immanuel Kant differentiated ethical experience and experience of sensory pleasures from aesthetic experience. This provided philosophical basis to aesthetics.
Later, beauty did not remain a central concept of this discourse. It turned more towards art and the questions related to art. Thus this branch is now known as ‘philosophy of art’. In this chapter, let us get introduced to a few important concepts discussed in this branch. Aesthetic/Artistic Perspectives Our relationship with the surrounding is manifold. We relate with it through many channels such as sensory experience, feelings and emotions, intellect, thoughts, reasoning, imagination, action, evaluation etc. Our relationship with the world is rooted in three different perspectives.
Cognitive perspective highlights the nature of man as a knower. This knower wants to know about the origin of the universe, its nature and function. The knower is interested in knowing - how many types of things are there in the world? What are they made-up of? What kind of changes do they go through? Which laws/principles govern these changes, and suchmore. As we saw, science and philosophy originate from the same sense of wonder. Systems of understanding the world evolve. Development of technology enables us to us to create instruments that reveal the unknown aspects of the world. The knower uses these instruments as a neutral observer.
There is no place for feelings and emotions, imagination, sensitivity and values in this exercise. When you conduct an experiment in the laboratory, your personal like-dislike, emotions, mental state have no value there. All that matters is the subject of experiment. Likewise, individual has no importance in the knowledge-centric perspective. The subject matter, that is objects and phenomena and interrelationships among them, are important. Second perspective focuses on what is useful in life.
We can call it the utilitarian or practical perspective. Organisms have a basic instinct to live and flourish and so do humans. Thus, we are constantly in search of what is useful to us and what is not. It is not just a sense of wonder or quest of knowledge that inspires us to do so. It is a basic biological instinct. In the process of evolution and in socio-cultural development, this instinct is also linked with the development of science and technology. Technological efficiency increases manifold when it is coupled with scientific knowledge. Accordingly, comfort goods also increase. Knowledge-centric and utilitarian perspective complement each-other.
Useful instruments enhance knowledge and enhanced knowledge develops our understanding of what is useful and what is not. Both these perspectives classify objects and phenomena in nature in their own way. There are innumerable objects in the universe. Several phenomena occur in it. They are classified on the basis of the similarities among them. Knowledge-centric perspective tries to seek the connection between objects and phenomena and the laws that govern them. The laws are applied to every object and phenomena in its purview. Such typological representation is more important to knowledge-centric perspective than the actual existence of the object with all its peculiarity. Utilitarian perspective classifies objects on the basis of their utility i.e. the functions they perform. According to this perspective, objects are basically instruments. In order to make an object, first, its use is determined, then, it is decided how to make that object with what material and form etc. Multiple types of objects are made from the same basic substance. Prepare various objects from paper in Origami style and arrange an exhibition of these objects. Let’s do! Many things are made from wood, but their patterns are different. A chair, a table, a bench classifying all these objects according to their usage is a utilitarian perspective, whereas identifying them as objects made from wood and thus, categorizing them separately from objects made up of plastic or metal is a knowledge-centric perspective. Take different moulds such as those used for making cakes, cookies etc. and use them on different types of materials such as wax or clay; for making various objects. Let’s do! Yet another perspective that is different from the above-mentioned perspectives through which we not only experience objects but also the world is an aesthetic perspective.
This perspective does not enquire into what the object (of experience) is made-up of, which laws govern it, what is its function, what is its use etc. Significance is given to the object of experience and the persons experiencing it. Object classification is immaterial for this perspective. This perspective makes it possible to experience nature and objects without having any specific purpose to begin with. It lets the sensations and images emerge in the mind in the way in which they actually emerge. What is significant in this experience, is the specific nature of the object that is experienced and of the person who is experiencing. Aesthetic perspective is interested in experiencing various forms/types of nature, particular objects, individual and social life with their peculiarities.
This perspective has a special significance in philosophy. We have studied metaphysics, epistemology and ethics as branches of philosophy. The qualities such as human sensitivity, imagination, creativity, emotionality and other such remain on the perifary in all these branches. Aesthetics studies these qualities and enriches our understanding of being human.
It does not study the non-human aspect of existence merely for its bearing upon human existence but also reflects upon sheer experience of existence and its impact on individual’s state of mind. Aesthetics presents a very different view of objects, people, relationships, phenomena that we experience. Thus, we are able to connect with pure existence of things, recognize their peculiarities, and value which are beyond human utilitarian perspective.
Through this, we indirectly learn to acknowledge and appreciate the existence of the particular objects. In aesthetic perspective, non-human existence, nature does not remain an isolated existence. It becomes an integral part of human sensitivity, imagination and thought. Human sensitivity and creativity bring out novel aspects of nature and also inspire us to understand the manifested existence beyond what is generally known. Aesthetic perspective generates a possibility of experiencing nature not as a mere study object or a useful resource.
It enables man to understand that things have their own existential value. In present times, when nature and humans are looked at as mere ‘resource’; this awareness is of immense importance. It gives us a different view-point to look at ourselves, our society, living and non-living world beyond ego-centric or human centric understanding of things.
The aesthetic experience of a common man and the artist’s creation on an art object stem from this very view point. Let us understand this with the help of an example. A walk in nature brings many different things to our notice. Imagine, a group of riends is on a picnic and they find a pile of stones. What kinds of responses would it generate? ‘Who laid these stones here?’ Somebody may get curious. A geology student may recall what he has studied about rock, its type and its genealogy. Some may find the stones as an obstacle on the trail. Some may use the rock to sit on. Some may start thinking about what can be made with the stones. Some may spot a beautiful pattern in the rocks.
A light and shadow play may interest a few. Glaze of rock particles may dazzle somebody. Its soft touch might be appealing to some. An artist may think of making a sculpture out of it.
When a sculptor works on a stone or an architect designs a structure or a monument, we realize the potential in stone, its ability to withstand extremities of seasons. We also experience how rock manifests itself in bright light, twilight, light percolating through clouds, darkening evening etc. Through the feelings expressed by the image/idol created by the sculptor, the material in inanimate stone as if acquires a living, dynamic and positive existence. This is how, existential value of nature, of every phenomenon in nature, of objects like stones are revealed through works of art. This awareness is an important aspect of culture.
ಕಾಮೆಂಟ್ಗಳಿಲ್ಲ:
ಕಾಮೆಂಟ್ ಪೋಸ್ಟ್ ಮಾಡಿ