Aesthetic Relevance Research Articles

Exploring the Barrier between Language and Culture from the Perspective of Postmodernist Aesthetics - Taking the Translation of One Hundred Years of Solitude by Huang Jinyan and the Translation by Fan Ye as an Example

Focusing on the translations of Marquez’s One Hundred Years of Solitude by Huang Jinyan and Fan Ye, this paper explores how language shapes and reflects cultural differences, thus influencing cross-cultural communication from a postmodernist aesthetic perspective. The opening chapter briefly describes the relevance of postmodern aesthetics to translation studies, with a special focus on the strategies of naturalization and alienation in magical realist translations and their role in conveying cultural connotations. Subsequently, a comparative analysis of the two translations reveals the differences in the translators’ strategies in dealing with the complex symbols and cultural elements of the original work: Fan’s translation tends to alienate, retaining the exotic and magical qualities and preserving the uniqueness of Latin American culture, but it may increase the barriers to comprehension for Chinese readers; Huang’s translation is inclined towards naturalization, which is closer to local reading habits and enhances the readability of the text, but it may diminish the cultural shock and depth of the original text. The core of the article emphasizes that translation is a dual process of cultural selection and re-creation. It requires the translator to strike a balance between preserving the original style and transmitting the cultural essence within the framework of postmodern aesthetics. The article further discusses the crucial role of this balance in enhancing cross-cultural communication and expanding horizons. It also proposes guidelines for future translation practice and research, advocating for a harmonious and symbiotic translation strategy that respects the original work while adapting to the target culture, particularly in the translation of cross-cultural literature.

Folkloric Imagery and Revolutionary Vision in Kofi Anyidoho’s A Harvest of Our Dreams: With Elegy for the Revolution

Folklore is one of the core cultural values in traditional societies and writers who are conscious of its aesthetic relevance deploy it in their creative works. Folktale elicits imagery which underscores the relationship of humanity with nature and mythical elements. Writers exploit this relationship to establish traditionalism and pursue revolutionary vision in their works. Anyidoho uses his affiliation to, and understanding of, the Ewe cultural (one of the traditional societies in Ghana) milieu to comment on issues that are germane to the existence of the people in A Harvest of Our Dreams: With Elegy for the Revolution. This paper, through examination of some of the poems in the collection with Raymond Williams’s Cultural Materialism revealed that the poet, with poetic devices, uses folklore and traditional images to advocate for revolution in his society. The paper comes to the conclusion that the poems in the collection are replete with folklore and traditional imagery, which the poet deploys with poetic essence to satirise failings in his society.

Building Consumer Engagement in Live Streaming on Social Media: A Comparison of Facebook and Instagram Live

The rising popularity of live video streaming (LVS) on social media platforms has opened up opportunities for numerous businesses. One of the primary benefits of LVS is the ability to generate interactions between streamers and viewers, as well as between viewers and viewers in real-time, which can significantly increase consumer engagement. This study aims to explore how customer engagement is established through interactivity on LVS activities, with a focus on Facebook and Instagram Live. The study used a mixed-methods approach, consisting of in-depth interviews with experienced LVS viewers followed by an online survey. The qualitative findings revealed that two essential platform-related factors that drive interactions and engagement are aesthetic relevance and recommendation relevance, with the recommendation being more relevant for Facebook and aesthetic relevance being more typical for Instagram. The quantitative results support these findings and offer additional insights into the distinct mechanisms for generating engagement, while aesthetic relevance directly leads to interaction and engagement, recommendation relevance only generates engagement indirectly via interaction. Theoretically, this article contributes to the live streaming literature by exploring the platform-related influencers of interactivity and customer engagement and the mechanisms of how customer engagement is built via interactivity on different social media platforms.

The visual storytelling of war: Mobilizing Tatik and Papik

This article focuses on the visual storytelling of war by studying the ‘We Are Our Mountains’ monument-related narration on Instagram. I analysed 371 posts, their comments and fourteen interviews with Armenian content creators to examine multimodal wartime storytelling and to shed light on how aesthetics are deployed in different war stages. During war, the Armenian content creators framed (and experienced) the monument as ‘beautiful’ to boost morale and mobilize external audiences. Post-war, stories turned to ‘working through’ and ‘building-up’, with aesthetics used for in-group affinity. However, online storytelling also includes unintended audiences; Azerbaijani audiences inserted themselves into the shared stories, and contested the aesthetic value of the monument, thus further highlighting the relevance of aesthetics in war-related storytelling.

Aesthetically Relevant Image Captioning

Image aesthetic quality assessment (AQA) aims to assign numerical aesthetic ratings to images whilst image aesthetic captioning (IAC) aims to generate textual descriptions of the aesthetic aspects of images. In this paper, we study image AQA and IAC together and present a new IAC method termed Aesthetically Relevant Image Captioning (ARIC). Based on the observation that most textual comments of an image are about objects and their interactions rather than aspects of aesthetics, we first introduce the concept of Aesthetic Relevance Score (ARS) of a sentence and have developed a model to automatically label a sentence with its ARS. We then use the ARS to design the ARIC model which includes an ARS weighted IAC loss function and an ARS based diverse aesthetic caption selector (DACS). We present extensive experimental results to show the soundness of the ARS concept and the effectiveness of the ARIC model by demonstrating that texts with higher ARS’s can predict the aesthetic ratings more accurately and that the new ARIC model can generate more accurate, aesthetically more relevant and more diverse image captions. Furthermore, a large new research database containing 510K images with over 5 million comments and 350K aesthetic scores, and code for implementing ARIC, are available at https://github.com/PengZai/ARIC

Geschichtlichkeit und ästhetische Relevanz

ZusammenfassungVor dem Hintergrund einer breiten Diskussion über das Verhältnis zwischen literarhistorischer Erforschung und ästhetischer Würdigung historisch ferner Literatur im ersten Jahrzehnt der DVjs legt Erich Auerbach eine Lektüre von Dantes Commedia vor, die beides verbindet. In seinem Artikel »Entdeckung Dantes in der Romantik« in der DVjs von 1929 zeigt er, dass er diesen (im gleichen Jahr in dem Buch Dante als Dichter der irdischen Welt weiter ausgestalteten) Ansatz wesentlich aus Überlegungen Schellings und Hegels entwickelt hat, von denen er auch gewisse metaphysische Hypotheken übernimmt. Die darin liegende besondere Auffassung von Realismus (die 1946 in Auerbachs Buch Mimesis ausgefaltet wird) spitzt er in dem Aufsatz »Figura« von 1939 für seine Danteinterpretation unter Verwendung des bibelhermeneutischen Konzepts der Figuraltypologie zu, allerdings um den Preis einer gewissen Entstellung der historischen Tradition der Typologie. Dadurch gewinnt Auerbach der Literaturwissenschaft ein machtvolles Begriffsinstrument hinzu, das in den dann folgenden Generationen unter Hinweis auf die Polysemie des lateinischen Ausdrucks figura teils unspezifisch eingesetzt wird, nun nicht mehr einer Vorstellung von Literatur als Mimesis, sondern als Ort von Vieldeutigkeit schlechthin folgend.

Indigenous and Local Knowledge and Aesthetics: Towards an Intergenerational Aesthetics of Nature

In a recent paper, Allen Carlson moves away from a purely scientific–cognitive framework for environmental aesthetics towards a ‘combination position’ based on the ecoaesthetics theorised by Xiangzhan Cheng. Carlson argues that only an aesthetics informed by ecological knowledge can offer the correct foundations for the continued relevance of environmental aesthetics to environmental ethics. However, closer analysis of Cheng's theory of ecoaesthetics reveals a number of problems related to questions of anthropocentrism and in particular, the issue of an ethic based on love. In this paper, I offer an alternative approach for the future of environmental aesthetics in the form of an intergenerational aesthetics based on Indigenous and Local Knowledge (ILK).

Recognising the relevance of aesthetics in the study of sustainable consumption: a commentary on ‘To the cultural turn and back again’ by Anastasia Loukianov

"Recognising the relevance of aesthetics in the study of sustainable consumption: a commentary on ‘To the cultural turn and back again’ by Anastasia Loukianov" published on Apr 2023 by Bristol University Press.

To the cultural turn and back again: the relevance of aesthetics to the possibility of sustainable futures

The sociology of consumption has had a fraught relationship with aesthetics, with varying levels of interest in the concept throughout the history of the discipline. Today, aesthetics is barely mentioned at all and is not considered to be relevant to enabling transitions towards more sustainable futures. In this article I demonstrate how this is due both to the prevalent understanding of aesthetics in sociology – anchored in Kantian discourse on art – and the unwitting consequences of the disciplinary developments which have taken place following the cultural turn. Drawing from philosophy and anthropology, I then present two different understandings of aesthetics, inspired by Aristotle and Dewey, which provide more fruitful avenues for engaging with the concept. The article presents existing work taking these definitions forward and shows how reconceptualising aesthetics enables us both to grasp the specificities of the unsustainable patterns of consumption of the wealthy and unequal societies of Europe, North America and Australasia, and envision the possibility of a societal transformation beyond the consumer aesthetics of ‘the Capitalocene’. Decoupling aesthetics from art, I argue for the importance of defamiliarisation and aesthetic revisioning in the creation of fairer, more sustainable and better futures.

THE CENTRALITY OF THE NARRATIVE STORYTELLING PERFORMANCE STRATEGY IN SAM UKALA’S IDEOLOGICAL FRAMEWORK

African literary drama draws its artistic materials from the numerous forms of Oral literature. Storytelling, an ancient but living oral tradition is one of such forms that some African dramatists have resorted to in expressing their various themes. As such, storytelling has created an orally rich variant of contemporary African literary drama as demonstrated in Ukala’s dramaturgy. Primarily sourcing his plays from folk material, Ukala is known for reviving and sustaining the storytelling performance via his ‘folkism’ theory which thrives on spontaneity in performance. This paper investigates the centrality of the storytelling strategy in his Akpakaland, Iredi War and Break a Boil as located in his ‘folkist’ ideology. The paper draws attention to such defining characteristics of indigenous storytelling as the opening and closing formulae, improvisation, audience involvement, the pivotal role of the narrator, etc. In so doing, it locates storytelling as the central artistic requirement that not only imbues Ukala’s plays with its aesthetic relevance but also drives its reflection of societal issues.<p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0058/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

L’«étrange monadologie» du plérôme. Remarques sur L’instauration philosophique d’Étienne Souriau

L’Instauration philosophique (1939) is one of the most relevant philosophical works by Étienne Souriau. In this book, the French philosopher tries to outline the main laws which define the instauration of a philosophical theory, in order to construct a philosophy of philosophies. Pleroma is one of the key-concepts of this work, and it refers to the dimension that includes all the well-established philosophical perspectives. The aim of this paper is to reconstruct some issues connected to this work, regarding specifically the notion of pleroma. The paper underlines the connection between L’instauration philosophique and the philosophical milieu in which it was written, and then stresses the relevance of artworks and aesthetics for Souriau’s idea of instauration. The paper deals with the architecture of pleroma, and finally examines some similarities and some differences between the pleroma and Leibniz’s Monadology.

Митология на загубата на красивото

The current paper is focused on the genealogy and the relevance of negative aesthetics as a distinct philosophical field and, in particular: 1) to draw a concept of the beautiful as a myth; then 2) to justify the need of a specific genealogy of loss of the beautiful, and, on this basis, 3) to bring out negative aesthetics in its main subject as a mythology of loss of the beautiful.

GREAT HERITAGE OF LIVING MASK MAKING TRADITION IN ASSAM: A CASE STUDY ON SRI SRI BOR ALENGI BOGIAI SATRA, TITABOR, JORHAT DISTRICT, ASSAM

Masks are artificial faces or covering of partial and whole body for concealment, usually to assume and to create various emotions and states of mind as love, anger, hate, fury, joy, fear, disgust, humour, sorrow etc. Sometimes people use mask to hide feeling or as layers or covers to conceal or safety shield of the person. The tradition of creating and utilizing masks in medieval Assam is thought-provoking, particularly wooden and bamboo masks. Neo-Vaishnavism or worship of Lord Vishnu/ Krishna was spread throughout Assam by the great saint Srimanta Sankaradeva (1449–1568) as part of the resurrection of unwavering devotion that occurred over all of India (bhakti). Sri Sri Bor Alengi Bogiai Satra is a renowned Neo- Vaishnavite monastery of Jorhat district, near the river Kakodonga. The particular Satra has lengthy and gorgeous tradition of the bamboo split made mask- making and its significant uses at the Vaishnavite Bhaona/ theatre based on Bhagavata- Purana texts and written by Srimanta Sankaradevaa and his followers. It is relevant to note that Jorhat district including River Island Majuli (now a district) is the prime centre of Neo-Vaishnavism in Assam, where significant tradition of mask making is sustained in several Satras. The paper has examined the history of the Sri Sri Bor Alengi Bogiai Satra as well as the economic, social, cultural, and aesthetic relevance of the masks and its great heritage of living tradition.

Rural Space Aesthetics and Rural Construction Paths from the Perspective of the Montage: The Cases of Seven Villages in Guangdong, China

In the rural areas of China, construction is growing vigorously, and the question of how to realize the creative inheritance and development of these areas in the regional context, as well as the exploration of new construction methods and paths, are important problems. Nowadays, there are two developing trends in terms of research methods. Firstly, the boundaries between various disciplines are becoming increasingly blurred, and interdisciplinary theoretical reference has become an effective means of realizing innovation in this field. The other trend relates to the great development of digital technology, such as parameterization and spatial information technology. This technological innovation sheds new light on rural image construction. This study aims to draw on the montage art concept and organization techniques and to integrate the new technical language into the construction of new aesthetic orientations and context-related inheritance paths of rural historical places in China. Based on the aesthetic relevance of montage aesthetics to rural regional characteristics, the aesthetic cognition of the rural area in Guangdong is analyzed and demonstrated. Then, the strategies and methods used for the construction of rural area are established based on four layers, i.e., the narrative clues, base site pattern, spatial interfaces and monomer construction. The present research expands on the perspectives and methods of rural reconstruction, provides new ideas for the current rural practice, and is conducive to promoting the systematic study of rural construction theory.

Reconstruction of Nasal Defects with a Two-stage Nasolabial Flap

Abstract
 Background
 Reconstruction of nasal defects represents a significant challenge in reconstructive surgery, due to nose’s delicate anatomy, combined with its functional and aesthetic relevance. Radical tumor excision, function preservation and a pleasing aesthetic outcome are the primary targets. The reconstructive approach will depend on the aesthetic subunit involved, size and depth of the defect. We describe our experience in the reconstruction of nasal skin defects of the tip, columella, alae, with a 2-stage nasolabial flap.
 Patients and Methods
 After institutional review board approval, a retrospective study was performed including consecutive patients (n=489) who underwent surgery for skin cancer of the nose, from 2016 to 2020 at the Service of Burns and Plastic Surgery, “Mother Theresa” University Hospital Center, of Tirana.
 Results
 The procedures were well tolerated and achieved good cosmetic results without complications.
 Conclusions
 The nasolabial 2-stage based flap is a well-established technique for nasal reconstruction after skin cancer removal. It represents one of the best methods for repair of extensive nasal defects, particularly for restoration of defects located on the tip, alae, or columella.

Understanding the Perceived Benefits of Nature for Creativity

AbstractExperience of nature is widely linked to well‐being, including psychological restoration. Benefits to creativity have been explored in a limited number of studies which refer to theories of restorative environments as frameworks, but it is unclear which aspects of the environment and person–nature transactions are implicated in these processes. In this study, N = 20 members of the British public were interviewed regarding the relevance of natural environments for their personal and professional creative activities. Thematic analysis of interview transcripts revealed that cognitive, affective, and aesthetic appraisals were reported as directly relevant to creativity in nature, while environmental properties, sensory experiences, and the self were reported as informing these appraisals. Similarities to theories of restorative environments were observed in terms of the relevance of affect, cognition, and aesthetics. However, divergences also occurred, especially with regard to perceptions of arousal as beneficial for creativity, the importance of change in the environment, and the relevance of the self. Studies and theoretical modeling of relationships between nature and creativity should include these concepts, as well as those from theories of restorative environments.

Assessment of Labial Alveolar Bone Thickness in Maxillary Central Incisor using Cone Beam Computed Tomography

Introduction: The maxillary anterior region is becoming a major concern due to its aesthetic relevance. The buccal bone thickness is important for implant placement, orthodontic treatment and restorative treatment.
 Objective: To assess the thickness of alveolar bone in the maxillary central incisor using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT).
 Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted at Department of Dental Surgery, Bir Hospital where CBCT of 53 samples from July 2019 till December 2019, the archived CBCT images was assessed retrospectively. The thickness of the labial bone in a direction perpendicular to the outer surface of the tooth root was measured at a distance of 2 mm from the cementoenamel junction (CEJ). The measurement was taken thrice and the mean measurement was considered.
 Results: The labial alveolar bone thickness in maxillary central incisor was found to be 0.55±0.27 mm at a distance of 2 mm from the CEJ. Only 2 (3.8%) of the samples had an alveolar thickness of >1 mm. No statistically significant difference was found with respect to gender and age.
 Conclusion: The average thickness of the labial alveolar bone in maxillary central incisor using cone beam computed tomography was found to be thin.

ESTETIKA DESAIN POSTER ALEKSANDR RODCHENKO BERDASARKAN KACAMATA TEORI EKSPRESI CROCE-COLLINGWOOD DAN FORMALISME BELL-FRY

A lot of contemporary analysis on Aleksandr Rodchenko’s design works is done through the critical lens of avant-garde and humanities. With the rise of effort to bring back relevance of traditional aesthetics as the point of view to look at art and design, there is a space to reread Rodchenko’s work. This paper will analyze the aesthetic of Rodchenko’s poster design titled “Books: The Advertisement Poster for the Lengiz Publishing House”. The analysis will be conducted through two different perspective: through the lens of Croce and Collingwood’s Expression Theory (or CC Theory), and the lens of Bell & Fry’s Formalism. The aim of this study is to determine whether aesthetical judgement could be given on constructivism poster design through both lens. The method of analysis is using qualitative research method based on literature study. The poster then will be investigated through each criteria of essence of art from each point of view. In the end, it could be concluded that the poster has significant aesthetic value from each point of view.

In the Shadows of Apartheid: Social Malady and Poetry Therapy in Ndlovu’s Poetry

Malika Lueen Ndlovu, a South African woman poet, has demonstrated a determined sense of commitment to confront the social absurdities of her society through her literary creations. Her works illustrate the philosophy of arts for life’s sake. Her creative motto is “creativity for healing”. It is in this light that this paper conceives social disorders as malady and poetry as therapy in relation to the wellbeing of the society. Two of Ndlovu’s poetry anthologies of poems were purposively selected to because of their thematic and aesthetic relevance to the study. They are Born in Africa But (2000) and Truth is Both Spirit and Flesh (2008). These texts present a corpus of poetry that portrays the society as a sick body whose illness is diagnosed by the poet’s stethoscopic pen to unveil unhealthy practices and restore sanity to the sick society. The texts also present the poet as a “social physician”. Through these texts, Ndlovu diagnosed gender and psychological maladies of post-Apartheid South Africa while exposing this putrefaction to mobilise social actions for its correction.

Augustine on Religious Education as Aesthetic Experience

Augustine’s thought is deeply embedded in his religious experiences. He reflects on the encounter with the Divine as an encounter with an (extra)sensory reality. He makes use of Aesthetic categories in order to describe his religious experience. This article presents a way of thinking about the intertwinement of religious education and Aesthetic experience in Augustine’s thought. With Augustine’s method of questioning as a point of departure, it will consider how he describes this (extra)sensory reality. Thereafter, I will use music to exemplify the Aesthetic relevance of the religious experience and relate this to distinctions in Augustine’s understanding of religious education.