Aesthetic Context Research Articles

From Croce’s intuition to Zhu Guangqian’s Zhijue 直觉: A cross-cultural interpretation

ABSTRACT Zhijue直觉 is the Chinese translation of the English word ‘intuition’. These two terms, however, do not hold completely equivalent meanings. Before this translation, traditional Chinese lacked a precise counterpart for the concept, though intuitive thinking has long been integral to Chinese culture. Consequently, Zhijue not only inherits the cultural connotations of the Western term ‘intuition’ but also integrates traditional Chinese intuitive thought. Translating intuition into zhijue goes beyond linguistic conversion—it reflects a cultural hybrid shaped by intercultural collision and fusion. This paper investigates how the concept of intuition, as developed in Croce’s aesthetics, is reinterpreted and adapted by Zhu Guangqian in the modern Chinese aesthetic context, generating new meanings. By tracking the cross-cultural journey of the term ‘intuition’, this study explores the comparative exchange between Western and Chinese ways of thinking and their cultural implications, offering insights into the traveling of concepts across cultures.

Dance for Parkinson, multifaceted experiences of persons living with Parkinson’s Disease

Background Dance classes for people with Parkinson’s Disease (PD) are offered worldwide; however, further studies are needed to explore patients’ experiences of how dance affects well-being. Purpose To explore how Dance for Parkinson (Dance for PD) is experienced, and how it contributes to the well-being and health of participants in Sweden. Methods This qualitative study collected data from four focus groups. Participants were asked how dance classes impacted their well-being, and their ability to perform activities of daily life. The focus groups were recorded and transcribed. Data were analysed using content analysis, meaning units were coded, and codes were coalesced into categories from which themes were abstracted. Results Dance for PD provided a multifaceted experience related to social relationships, aesthetic context, feelings of wellbeing and the physical experience of dancing. The main theme contained four sub-themes: Connectedness, Pleasure and glamour, Well-being in mind and body and Customized movements. Conclusion The present study highlights that health and well-being are improved by Dance for PD. It is an enjoyable activity that meets the specific needs of persons living with the consequences of PD and should therefore be promoted by occupational therapists.

Helen Knight and Margaret Macdonald on the meaning of ‘good’

ABSTRACT I argue that Helen Knight and Margaret Macdonald expressed views on the nature of ‘good’ in aesthetic contexts which anticipate to a striking extent the dispute between Peter Geach and R. M. Hare over ethical uses of ‘good’ several years later. I show that Knight introduced a distinction between uses of adjectives later drawn also by Geach, and that she employed that distinction, as Geach did, in order to defend a descriptivist approach to ‘good’ according to which ‘good’ is not ambiguous. I also show that Macdonald conceived of evaluative statements as commendatory, and that her conception of evaluative language therefore closely resembles the position which Hare would later advance.

‘At the Edge of the Intactile Dark’: Gothic Minimalism in Cormac McCarthy’s The Passenger and Stella Maris

ABSTRACT This article explores how Cormac McCarthy’s The Passenger (2022) and Stella Maris (2022) cement a reliance on Gothic literary minimalism. Although minimalism and the Gothic are traditionally positioned as aesthetic opposites, with the former orientated toward stylistic sparsity and the latter an art of excess, I examine how both converge in these interconnected novels to further an affective atmosphere of lessness and loss. Recalling McCarthy’s prior affiliation with both aesthetic contexts, I argue that these novels consider the emptiness of genre and event via a pre-established aesthetic of Gothic minimalism borrowed from postwar American literary traditions to expose societal structures of exhaustion. Through a reading of McCarthy’s duology alongside key minimalists from the twentieth century including Ernest Hemingway and Raymond Carver, I suggest that this attenuation of the Gothic is symptomatic of a significant but unacknowledged affective tonality underpinning American minimalist writing.

Material–Art–Dust. Reflections on Dust Research between Art and Theory

Abstract Dust is a distinctive material that, in addition to its physical properties, reveals anthropological and cultural dimensions, particularly within aesthetic contexts. In a collaborative project focused on “dust,” a theoretical-systematic approach is combined with an artistic-practical-participatory one. Philosophical reflections and artistic concepts related to the material “dust,” specific artworks involving dust, and the relationship between artwork and theory are interwoven. Thus, the text discusses various types of dust, the role of the artist, different modes of perception, cultural context, forms of dust and materiality, media-specific characteristics, and questions of mediation. Throughout this process, common practices of artistic and theoretical engagement are transformed and developed.

Multisensory museum experience: an integrative view and future research directions

ABSTRACT In museum and aesthetic contexts, the role of multisensory experiences in boosting visitor engagement is well-recognised. Yet, the diverse disciplinary perspectives have led to a scattered and sometimes unclear literature landscape. This article undertakes a systematic review, combining systematic literature extraction and qualitative content analysis of 331 academic sources to address the following questions: What are the theoretical underpinnings for studying multisensory museum experiences? What are the general characteristics of these experiences? How can we understand the role of technology in sensory practices within museums and related sites? By focusing on visitors’ perspectives, the review aims to offer a comprehensive understanding of multisensory experiences, emphasising research framework, conceptualisation, and technology in museum practices. Furthermore, it outlines future research directions in these areas, contributing to a more unified theory and providing practical insights for exhibition design. This establishes a groundwork for nuanced future research endeavours.

PALESTINIAN LITERATURE: A RECORD OF PERPETUAL DISPLACEMENT AND FAILURES

Within the framework of Palestine's international, political, and aesthetic contexts, this study delves into the historical evolution of Palestinian literature, serving as a testament to the people's history of suffering. terrifying trials, and being banished from their whole country. It provides context for reading Palestinian literature and learning about the writers' legacies. As authors seek new ways to play out their histories and express themselves, the study delves into significant topics, such as the British Mandatory from 1948 to 1967, the Six-Day War, and the continuing colonization. In order to claim their displacement and suffering above the constraints of history, Palestinian intellectuals use the mystical power of language. The persistence of Palestinians under Israeli occupation is shown by the evolution of "Writings of Resistance" that began in the mid-20th century and continues to this day. Still going strong now, Palestinian literature cites classics while denying the "horror of history."The literary works of the Palestinian people eloquently portray the hardships endured by the Palestinian people and their continuous fight for survival.

The Influence of CG Technology on The Aesthetics of Chinese Magic Films Take The Candle in The Tomb Film Series for Example

This study aims to investigate the impact of computer-generated imagery (CG) on the aesthetic context and innovation of oriental gods and creatures in Chinese magical film footage. This study focuses on the analysis and research of CG technology in Chinese magical film lens images, as well as the aesthetic habits and aesthetic psychology of contemporary audiences towards oriental gods and creatures. This research employs a qualitative research approach because it is appropriate for examining the cultural background and aesthetic habits of Chinese magical film lens images created using CG technology, as well as the aesthetic emotions that the film evokes in its audience. This study specifically examines the aesthetic expression and breakthrough innovation of oriental gods and monsters in the CG screen effects of the film series Candle In The Tomb, as well as the operation process of Chinese magical film CG technology and its expression based on and the generative context and breakthrough innovation of oriental gods' aesthetic style. This study will provide a theory of the CG technology used to guide the visual aesthetics of Chinese fantasy films. It will benefit creators of Chinese magic films, researchers, academicians, students, and those interested in the subject's study and preservation.

Curatorial Dissonance and Conflictual Aesthetics: Holocaust Memory and Public Humanities in Greek Historiography

Despite the increasingly diverse societal landscape in Greece for more than three decades within a context of migration, understandings of its fragile histories are still limited in shaping a sense of belonging that is open to ‘otherness’. While Greek communities have utilised history as a pathway to maintain identity, other parallel histories and understandings do not resonate with ‘Greekness’ for most, such as the case of Greek Jewry. Critical historical perspectives can benefit from tracing ‘re-membering’ as a feminist practice in the reassessment of societal values of inclusivity. Histories of violence and injustice can also include elements of ‘difficult histories’ and must be embraced to seek acknowledgement of these in promoting social change and cultural analysis for public humanities informing curation and curricula. Between eduscapes, art heritage spaces, an entry into contested and conflictual histories can expand a sense of belonging and the way we imagine our own connected histories with communities, place and nation. Greek Jews do not constitute a strong part of historical memory for Greeks in their past and present; in contrast to what is perceived as ‘official’ history, theirs is quite marginal. As a result, contemporary Greeks, from everyday life to academia, do not have a holistic understanding in relation to the identities of Jews in Greece, their culture or the Holocaust. Given the emergence of a new wave of artistic activism in recent years in response to the ever-increasing dominance of authoritarian neoliberalism, along with activist practices in the art field as undercurrents of resistance, in this intervention I bring together bodies of works to create a dialogic reflection with historical, artistic and feminist sources. In turn, the discussion then explores the spatiotemporal contestations of the historical geographies of Holocaust monuments in Greece. While interrogating historical amnesia, I endeavour to provide a space to engage with ‘difficult histories’ in their aesthetic context as a heritage of healing and social justice.

Die einzige überlieferte Renaissance-Harfentabulatur in Deutschland: D-LEm I.191 (um 1540)

The manuscript D-LEm I.191 is presented here for the first time as a unique surviving Renaissance harp tablature in Germany. The paper provides comprehensive research results on the origins of the tablature, as well as its performance, didactic and aesthetic contexts in the 16th century. The manuscript is also situated in the context of 19th century historicism, as an object in the collection of Carl Ferdinand Becker (1804–1877). D-LEm I.191 was written in Central Germany around 1540 as a practical supplement (exercitio) and continuation of Martin Agricola’s Musica instrumentalis 1529, with which it is bound together. It explains through a fundamentum the basic tuning and playing techniques and demonstrates the practical use of the harp, which Agricola represented only as a picture. Thus, D-LEm I.191 documents for the first time: (i) the application of the old German keyboard tablature to the Renaissance harp, (ii) the method of intabulation for this instrument, and (iii) the adaptation of the known song and dance repertoire to the idiom of a diatonic Renaissance harp. The manuscript provides a unique insight into the cultivation of this repertoire in the school, student and urban-bourgeois milieus.

A IMAGEM COMO DESTINO

The aim of this work is to think and discuss some conditions for the body in the present time. At first, in the 19th century, photography and cinema produced images of bodies in a specific aesthetic context. The cinema promoted a certain continuity of attention to the body present in the ancient circus and body arts, while at the same time opened the difference of a new regime with the technical apparatus. I am going to reflect on the contemporary production of body images having as reference two axes: a) unity versus fragmentation; b) to be and to have a body.

An Investigation of the Perception of Neoclassical, Eclectic, Modernist, and Postmodern Architecture within Different Urban Landscapes: Athens vs. Paris

The public perception of buildings belonging to different architectural movements is a largely unexplored area from a quantitative scientific perspective. However, a better scientific understanding of perceptions of architectural movements is important for the formation of improved planning and design policies. In this work, we carry out an initial exploration of the public preferences of the architectural movements of Neoclassicism, Eclecticism, Modernism, and Postmodernism. To this aim, a total of 103 citizens from Athens (Greece) and Paris (France) were presented with the same questions regarding their opinions on buildings belonging to those movements. In the analysis and interpretation of the collected data, the different cultural, professional, and demographic characteristics of participants were then considered, as well as the role of the urban landscapes of Athens and Paris as the historical, societal, and aesthetic contexts that influence and shape perceptions. The results demonstrated a clear and uniform prevalence of Neoclassical architecture in terms of positive public perception in both cities. Similarly, in both cities, Eclecticism followed with a relatively more positive perception than Modern and Postmodern architectural styles, which were rated the lowest. However, a significant difference between the two cities was that when participants singled out their primary favorite style, Modernism enjoyed higher favorability in Athens than in Paris. These findings and their theoretical exploration provide inferences into the complexities of public perceptions of architectural styles, with potential implications for the integration of citizen preferences into future research on architectural/urban design and planning.

Chinese Snowscape As a Phenomenon

With unique aesthetic value, snowy landscapes are one of the most important subjects in Chinese painting. Due to their purity, elegance, serenity, simplicity and cold charm, snow scenes have been the focus of artists and scholars from long ago. The artistic features and cultural connotations of Chinese snow paintings have attracted the attention of many Chinese and Russian scholars. However, there is no typological study of snow landscape in their works. In this regard, the authors consider it necessary to actualize this topic. The article provides historical information about the study of snowy landscape, the history of Chinese painting masters’ appeal to this theme. The classification of snow painting depending on seasons, geographical regions of China, atmospheric phenomena, and themes is offered. The authors suggest their definition of the concept of “Chinese snow landscape” and the author’s classification of the content of snow paintings. The paper applies a typological approach to the analysis of “snow” scenes, and examines the development of traditional Chinese aesthetic contexts from ancient artistic codes to contemporary theories. Outstanding examples of snow landscape painting are presented. Snow painting is an important medium of Chinese cultural heritage that demonstrates the diversity and richness of Chinese culture. The given overview of China’s snow scene painting as a phenomenon in the work of Chinese artists can serve as a basis for further in–depth studies.

ARTISTIC FEATURES OF SYMBOLISM IN JAPANESE VISUAL ART DURING THE EDO PERIOD

This article is dedicated to exploring the artistic characteristics of symbolism in Japanese visual art during the Edo period (1603-1868). Through an analysis of this era, the author investigates the utilization of natural symbols, particularly flowers and birds, in the works of artists. Additionally, the article examines the influence of seasonal symbolism and its impact on artistic practice. Special attention is placed on the use of colors and their significance in conveying emotions and atmosphere. Furthermore, depictions of mythological creatures such as dragons and fairies are studied, along with their role in expressing spiritual concepts. The study also delves into the utilization of geometric forms and their symbolic meanings within the context of cosmic and philosophical aspects. The author further analyzes the incorporation of everyday objects and their contribution to creating allegorical imagery. The primary objective of this article is to uncover the significance of symbolism in Japanese visual art during the Edo period and to reveal its influence on the cultural, philosophical, and aesthetic context of that time. The article examines the utilization of natural symbols, seasonal, and color symbolism as means of metaphorically conveying profound concepts. It highlights the impact of mythological creatures on artworks of that era and the use of geometric forms to convey cosmic and spiritual dimensions. The role of object symbolism in generating additional meanings in art is also explored. The central aim of the article is to comprehensively comprehend the significance of symbolism in Japanese art during the Edo period and its effect on the cultural and artistic milieu of the time. The research is focused on investigating the role of symbolism in Japanese art during the Edo period and its impact on the cultural and artistic context of that period. Additionally, the article examines object symbolism and its role in shaping dual meanings and additional layers of significance in artworks. The study is aimed at unveiling the essence of symbolism in Japanese visual art during the Edo period and deepening the understanding of the impact of these artistic techniques on the cultural context of the time.

Exploration the use of digital technology in the revitalisation design of Ming Dynasty’s Yingluo jewellery

Buddhist art originated with the emergence of Buddhism and has experienced continual innovation and development throughout history. Yingluo jewellery was introduced to China from India, with its form continuously incorporating ancient Chinese aesthetics in its inheritance and development. The designs of Ming Dynasty’s Yingluo jewellery exhibited a more secular and everyday trend. This article centres on the design of Ming Dynasty necklaces, using the Fahai Temple mural and the Yongxuan court statues as representative examples. The article summarises the distinct artistic features of Ming Dynasty necklaces and explores their aesthetics, focusing on three aspects: shape structure, colour matching, and pattern design. Additionally, 3D digital modelling is employed to revitalise and restore the necklaces’ beauty. Technical abbreviations will be explained upon first usage, and the text adheres to standard academic formatting and language conventions. The objective is to enhance national cultural confidence, bridge the gap between cultural heritage, appreciate the allure of traditional art treasures, and revive cultural artifacts. The infusion of rich cultural nuances into contemporary jewellery design, integration of traditional artistic components into modern aesthetics, and merging exceptional Ming Dynasty necklace works with contemporary aesthetic context, facilitates the seamless integration of outstanding culture into contemporary society.

Exploring the Aesthetic Applications of Expanded Polystyrene: An Interdisciplinary Review

Some researchers contend that repurposing and reuse of EPS for artistic and aesthetic purposes represents a meaningful step in addressing the environmental challenges associated with its widespread commercial and single-use applications. It is in line with this thought that this review paper seeks to explore the wide range of creative and aesthetic applications of polystyrene across various disciplines, shedding light on its versatility, aesthetics, and functional qualities. The purpose of the review is to ascertain the contribution of the creative field to environmental sustainability through the (re)use of EPS. Taking a qualitative route, this review of literature is guided by the following research questions: (a) What are the inherent properties and characteristics of EPS? (b) In what myriad aesthetic contexts have EPS found utility and application? (c) What are the key challenges associated with employing this material for artistic purposes? Given the difficulty that accompanies the recycling options for EPS, its use in art has become another avenue for extending the material’s end-of-life use. However, the paper found that while some artists contribute to the development of a green society by using discarded EPS in their art, others contribute to the problem by choosing to use virgin EPS for their art because of benefits such as the material’s lightweight, ease of carving, and cheapness. Therefore, this paper recommends that if artists must use EPS, then they should make it a point of duty to go for discarded EPS and other plastic wastes to help the environment.

동시대 명품 브랜드 패션쇼의 혼종적 표현 연구

In contemporary luxury fashion shows, various artistic experiments are implemented to express a brand's identity and philosophy. Therefore, as a cultural phenomenon, the study of fashion show spaces requires an understanding of their aesthetic context. The purpose of this study is to examine the characteristics and significance of hybridity in luxury brands’ fashion show. After clarifying the concept of hybridity as a prominent feature of postmodern culture where boundaries are blurred and outlining developments in transportation and ICT, we identify three hybrid characteristics of 21st-century fashion shows: hybridity of time and space, of cultures and arts, and of nature, human and machine (media). Accordingly, we analyze how Chanel and Gucci’s recent shows experiment with and converge artistic, cultural codes and media effects, strengthening brand image: Chanel as representing modern elegance and sophistication, and Gucci as aligned with subculture. This study thus reveals how hybridity has become an important artistic strategy for luxury brands in order to provide an unfamiliar experience to the audience, while reflecting contemporary social issues and expressing brand values and identity.

Matter’s Performance in Christoph Schlingensief’s “Animatographische Editionen”

German director Christoph Schlingensief’s Animatographische Editionen (2004-06) included a series of three geographically-distinct labyrinthine walkthrough installations with a constellation of rooms and rotating platforms, leading to an Animatograph – a spinning carousel of material upon which videos were projected. Diverging from the current tendency in Schlingensief scholarship towards Niklas Luhmann’s systems theory, this paper focuses on the role of material in the Animatograph to show how it sympoietically enfolds autopoietic systems of communication. In particular, I investigate how humans explored the installations’ tight spaces, foul smells, swirling sights and cacophony of sounds, transforming materials and animals into performers. To do so, I derive concepts from Rebecca Schneider, Karen Barad and Donna Haraway to argue that in the encounter with the human, matter looks, touches back, and performs. In addition to providing a compelling site to investigate the intra-active entanglements of humans, animals, and materials in an aesthetic context, Schlingensief’s Animatograph allows us to see the ongoing (re)configuration of these entanglements, putting posthumanist performativity on display and highlighting the aesthetic contributions of the non-human.

“The Most Profound Confirmation of the Existence of a Dissonance”: Émile Boutroux, Georg Simmel, and Lukács’s Theory of the Novel, with an Outlook to History and Class Consciousness

Georg Lukács’s argument of form and formation is traced from The Theory of the Novel to History and Class Consciousness, especially “Reification and the Consciousness of the Proletariat.” The concept of form in The Theory of the Novel is compared to the contemporary philosophy of science by Émile Boutroux’s and Georg Simmel’s lectures on Kant and, in particular, Kantian aesthetics. Form and formation are in the scientific and in the aesthetic context developed against the backdrop of the deficit or even lack of formal organization and, consequently, as a necessary yet contingent intervention. This understanding of form characterizes, for Lukács, the modern novel as well as the capitalist economic and social system. Against Hegel’s teleology of the spirit but consistent with Marx, the modernity of the novel and of capitalism, respectively, appears in Lukács thus as structurally defining in and of history.

Emotional abilities and art experience in autism spectrum disorder

Abstract In contrast to mainstream accounts which explain the aesthetic experience of people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in terms of cognitive abilities, this paper suggests as an alternative explanation the “emotional abilities approach”. We present an example of a person with ASD who is able to exercise a variety of emotional abilities in aesthetic contexts but who has difficulties exhibiting their equivalents in interpersonal relations. Using an autobiographical account, we demonstrate first that there is at least one precedent where a person with ASD can exercise a series of emotional abilities when engaging with art works. Second, we offer also an explanation about why aesthetic contexts might enable this person to exercise emotional abilities which in interpersonal contexts seem to be blocked.