Yuriko Saito, “Everyday Aesthetics”

1. Anything viewed:

a. Anything at all is a fit object of aes attention

b. Whether sensed, imagined, or conceived

c. Aes objects are not a special set of objects, but rather are aes objects in virtue of our experiences/attitudes

i. It would seems that an art object created by an artist is an aesthetic object whether or not we exp it aesthetically or take an aesthetic attitude toward it

ii. Saito’s point must be that aes objects not limited to art objects–non-art objects can be aes based on our exp/attitude

d. Important aes qualities and experiences exist outside of art

CRITIQUE OF AESTHETIC THEORY FOR IGNORING AESTHETICS OF EVERYDAY

2. In the field of aesthetics, aesthetics of non-art is marginalized and this is a mistake

3. When do get aes discussions of non-art, focus is on their likeness to art

a. For example:

i. Aes of sports asks can any sport be an art form?

ii. Aes of cooking/food: is it an art form? Are chefs artists?

4. Non-art is unfairly treated as wannabe art or second-rate art

a. Since non-art generally lacks features characteristic of art (formal coherence, expressive power, embodiment of an idea, creativity and originality)

5. The focus of aesthetics on art objects and phil of art is parochial

a. Based on recent (since 18^th century) Western viewpoint

i. Presupposes institutionalized artworld

ii. A practice of selecting an art object, isolating it from its surroundings, and approaching it with disinterested aes attitude

b. For other cultures, and the West at other times, the aesthetic was ubiquitous (not isolated in museums and concert halls)

i. Aesthetic concerns exist in everything they do

ii. Lack a notion of “art,” artist who produces it, and limited special occasions/places set aside for the purpose of aesthetic appreciation

6. Everyday aesthetics (aes of non-art objects/activities) includes

a. Aesthetics of eating, clothing, dwelling, cleaning, dealing with natural elements

b. These are universally shared among people

c. Aes appreciation of these things does not require special institutions (art galleries) or special knowledge of the artworld

DIFFERENCES AESTHETICS OF ART OBJECTS AND AESTHETICS OF NON-ART OBJECTS

7. One: Framed versus unframed

a. Experience of art objects determined (framed) by conventional agreement and artists’ control of material (and intentions)

b. Non-art objects lack these conventions

8. Art objects come to us framed (“in neatly packaged bundles”)

a. Painting

i. View it standing straight, look at only one side, and focus only inside the frame

ii. Its smell of fresh paint, relationship to surrounding wallpaper, or back of canvas–are to be ignored no matter how intriguing

b. Symphony experience

i. Only relevant sounds those created by musicians on stage as they play to score

ii. Outside traffic noise, cough of audience, feel of A/C blowing on our face and texture of seat are consciously ignored, though part of our experience

9. Non-art objects come unframed

a. As they lack artists intention/control and conventional agreement about what is to be aesthetically appreciated

10. Two: Appreciator thus becomes creator of aesthetic object (for non-art objects)–

i. Aes of non-art is more creative

b. We constitute aes object as we see fit

c. For example

i. Appreciation of a baseball game may included

(1) Noisy cheers of fans

(2) Hot sun beating on our necks

(3) Smell of hot dogs

(4) Player’s body movements

(5) Thrill of stiff competition

(6) Drama of record breaking home run

ii. Appreciation of tea may include

(1) Smell and taste of the tea

(2) Incorporate visual and tactile sensation of tea bowl

(3) Sound of the slurping

11. Anything goes relativity problem: Worry that this creativity and freedom in the aesthetic appreciation of everyday non-art objects leads to an “anything-goes relativity/subjectivity”

a. No better or worse judgments

b. No better or worse experiences

c. Unlike our aesthetic responses to art where folks can make mistaken judgments and have more or less appropriate aesthetic experiences

12. Doubt that Saito accepts anything goes relativity about non-art appreciation and doubt that it is true

13. Saito says:

a. New York City’s sense of place can’t be separated from smell of burnt pretzels, vibration and steam from below, chaotic honking of cabs

b. But then she says: “We can choose to ignore all of these and concentrate exclusively on its architecture”

c. But then we may not be properly appreciating its “sense of place”

14. Perhaps we have freedom to chose what items to focus on, but given that we are focusing on a particular item, we perhaps can’t ignore other related (or constituent) items or make any judgments we want about them, or appreciate it in any manner we want

15. Three: Art experienced as (1) an uninvolved spectator (2) using “higher senses” of vision and hearing

16. Aes exp of non-art is multisensory and involves bodily engagement

17. Examples

a. Experience of seasons and weather conditions

b. Sensual feeling of well-being and of harmony with one’s environment and with one’s self when taking a Japanese bath

18. Some have used the example of the bodily pleasures of a bath as an example of non-aesthetic pleasure

a. If taking a bath is (or can be) aesthetic, then what pleasurable activity is not?

b. If we take pleasure in an object or activity, does that mean we are receiving aesthetic satisfaction from it?

i. Some pleasures are not aesthetic pleasures? Pleasure taken when one is praised, pleasure taken in one’s son’s accomplishments

c. If any object or activity can (but need not) give aesthetic pleasure, then what must we do to approach it aesthetically?

d. Once one has expanded the aesthetic to include everyday non-art objects/activities, shouldn’t one also provide some grounds for restricting the scope of the aesthetic

19. Four: Permanence vs. impermanence is a further difference between aes exp of art/non-art

20. Art is suppose to stay relatively permanent

a. Art conservation/restoration try to keep art objects in their original condition

21. With non-art, each occasion is singular for everyday objects are impermanent

a. Food is gone in minutes

b. Weather alters constantly

c. Clothes changed almost everyday

d. Bodies steadily age

e. Rooms cleaned up

22. Transience/impermanence specifically appreciated in some aes traditions

a. E.g., Japanese aes sensibility

i. Beauty of something is cherished precisely because of its evanescence

ii. Favorite symbols of beauty convey transience of existence

(1) Falling cherry blossoms,

(2) Autumn leaves that signify effects of aging

23. Change/impermanence of many everyday objets/activities–far from detracting from their aes value (as some art theorists suggest)–heighten our awareness of them and enhance the experience

24. Five: Non-art objects/activities are primarily utilitarian while art objects are primarily non-utilitarian (have an aesthetic purpose)

25. The art object approach of distancing ourselves from our everyday practical concerns (becoming disinterested) fails in the aes appreciation of non-art aesthetic objects

a. Knife example

i. Mistake to appreciate a knife by treating it as a sculpture and limiting our aesthetic response to its visual qualities and tactile qualities apart from its use

ii. Most important to aesthetic qualities of a knife is how smoothly an effortlessly it cuts

b. Utilitarian aspects are the focus of the aesthetic appreciation of non-art

26. Aesthetics and practical can not be neatly separated

a. As is argued by most art theorists

THE UBIQUITY OF THE AESTHETIC IN EVERYDAY OBJECTS/ACTIVITIES

27. Many seemingly non-aes daily concerns are dominated by aes dimensions

28. Examples

a. Rituals and ceremonies like weddings and funerals

b. Aesthetics important when expressing religious commitments, attitudes toward life and human relationships

c. Aesthetics comes in via choice of color scheme, music, costume, setting, organization of the ceremonies

29. Is the emphasis on aes in these rituals excessive/superficial?

30. Often our moral judgement about people relies on aes concerns

a. Moral judgments about person’s character often based on evaluating his/her appearance

i. Judge a person based on their aesthetic surface

b. Negative moral judgment of a person with “unshaven face, disheveled hair, soiled, tattered and wrinkled clothes”

i. Especially if we believe they can afford to look otherwise

ii. Of if its at a job interview

iii. Or in different context may judge him as making a certain statement via his appearance

(1) Aesthetics is here being used to convey ideas and opinions

c. Sometimes judge someone not based on what she does or says, but way she says or does it (Style--an aesthetic feature)

i. Tone of voice, facial expressions

d. Remarkable how entrenched our practice is of assessing other’s characters, moral virtue, capability and attitude via their aesthetic manifestations

i. Though not like ancient Japanese practice of assessing a person’s moral worth exclusively by her aesthetic capacity and sensibility

e. Unlike in art where evaluation of artist as a person and art are kept distinct, here the aesthetic manifestations are taken as embodiment of personal character

SPECIAL URGENCY FOR EXPLORING EVERYDAY AESTHETICS

31. Our everyday aesthetic sensibilities and judgments have far reaching significant consequences

32. Examples

a. Effect this has on the (mainly female) human body

b. Effect this has on the environment

i. Scientists lament publics desire to protect only aesthetically appealing aspects of nature, when the less appealing are in greater need of protection

(1) Protect pandas, whales, seals, redwoods

(2) Don’t bother protecting cod, insects, prairies, wetlands

(3) In so far as some of these have greater aesthetic value than others, this value gives us a stronger reason for protection

ii. Midwestern farmers land use decisions were primarily motivated by aes not economic or pragmatic considerations

iii. Primary obstacle to public acceptance of ecologically sustainable design (by Nike and Carpet manufacturers) is aes

Notes on Yuriko Saito, “Everyday Aesthetics”

1. Aes objects not special set of objects, but dt by our experiences/attitudes

2. Anything viewed:

a. Stolnitz: Anything at all, sensed, imagined, conceived can be object of aes attention

b. Ziff: anything that can viewed is a fit object of aes attention

3. Curious that today’s aes mostly concerned with art

4. Aes of non-art is marginalized

a. Art is primary focus of even those who allow aes qualities exist outside of art

5. Discussions of aes of non-art, focus on their likeness to art

a. (This conflates art and aesthetics)

b. Aes of sports asks can any sport be an art form?

c. Aes of cooking/food: is it an art form? Are chefs artists

6. Turns non-art into wannabe art

a. Often fall short of features characteristic of art:

i. Lack formal coherence, expressive power, embodiment of an idea, creativity and originality

b. Non-art objects are regarded as “like art” or second-rate art

7. Saito thinks aesthetics should allow for and focus on a diversity of aesthetic objects and approaches.

a. The focus on art is parochial modern Western viewpoint, presupposing institutionalized artworld

i. Custom of selecting an art object, isolating it from its surroundings, prominent in the west since 18^th century, with its aes of disinterestedness

ii. At other times in West and in non-Western cultures, (Japanese, Balinese, Inuit cultures) the aesthetic was ubiquitous

(1) Japanese anesthetizing everyday objects/phenomena and activities

iii. Aes concerns in everything they do, so lack a notion of artist and art

b. Limits range of aes issues by assuming only those related to art are worthwhile for theoretical analysis

8. Most non-art objects/activities deal with everyday exp

a. Eating, clothing, dwelling, cleaning, dealing with natural elements

9. Unlike the institutionalized artworld we share these universally

a. In our culture exp of art is limited to special occasions/places set aside for that purpose

i. Not all have access to or kn of the artworld

b. All of us are engaged in everyday activities and handle non-art.

10. Art objects exp dt by (framed by) conventional agreement and artists control of material

a. Art objects present themselves with a dt frame

b. Painting: standing straight, visual element of one side, inside the frame

i. Its smell of fresh paint, relationship to surrounding wallpaper, or back of canvas–are bracketed, no matter how intriguing

c. Symphony exp: sounds confined to a score created by musicians ons stage

i. Outside traffic noise, cough of audience, feel of A/C blowing on our face and texture of seat are consciously ignored, though part of our exp.

11. Because non-art objects are frame-less (due to absence of equivalent conventions)

12. This makes us creators of the aesthetic object

13. Hepburn: aes price we pay for frame-less non-art objects (lack of unified design) can be compensated for by use of our imagination/creativity in constitution aes object as we see fit.

a. This makes it sound pretty relative and subjective?

b. One can say what is focused on is a matter of choice, but given what is focused on, there are determinable aes qualities we can get right or wrong.

14. Examples:

a. App baseball game may included

i. Noisy cheers of fans

ii. Hot sun beating on our necks

iii. Smell of hot dogs

iv. Player’s body movements

v. Thrill of stiff competition

vi. Drama of record breaking home run

b. NYC sense of place can’t be separated from smell of burnt pretzels and vibration and steam from below, chaotic honking of cabs

c. “We can choose to ignore all of these and concentrate exclusively on its architecture”

d. Can create small non-art objects and exp

i. App smell and taste of green tea, may incorporate the visual and tactile sensations of the tea bowl and sound of slurping.

15. Dif exp of art and exp of everyday aes

a. Art comes in “neatly packaged bundle, consisting exclusively of qualities we receive through higher senses of vision and hearing and with us as an uninvolved spectator

i. Sit still and quiet during classical concert or theater

ii. We look at a painting or sculpture and don’t touch, move or hold it

b. What is aes most appro when viewing art objects is not suitable nor rewarding when engaged in everyday activities

c. Art and spectator centered aesthetics

d. Can’t account for our equally important aes exp of everyday objects and activities

i. Almost always engage us bodily

16. Traditional Japanese culture good examples of aes exp using body and mind

a. Refined sensibility to seasonal change and weather conditions felt by body

b. Physical/spiritual disciple involved in martial arts

c. Sensual feeling of well-being and of harmony with one’s environment and with one’s self when taking a Japanese bath

d. Some have used the example of the bodily pleasures of a bath as an example of non-aesthetic pleasure

e. If taking a bath is aesthetic, then what pleasurable activity is not?

17. Tea ceremony

a. Established as artistic medium

b. Aes exp of frame-less character

c. Challenges participant to create aes exp out of many dif features

d. Predetermined Ingredients: tea hut, utensils, flower arrangements, and snack

e. Beyond control: weather, sound of birds or rain on the roof, spontaneous conversation between host and guests

f. Bodily activity: going through tea garden, cleansing the hands and mouths, entering tea hut, holding tea bowl, drinking tee by slurping and eating a snack

18. Another difference: singularity of each occasion

19. Object of aes app is impermanent

a. Often characteristic of objects of our everyday aes exp.

b. Food is gone in minutes

c. Weather alters constantly

d. Clothes changed almost everyday

e. Bodies steadily age

f. Rooms cleaned up

20. Art is suppose to stay the same; relatively permanent

a. Try to keep art objects in their “original” condition

i. Conservation and restoration

b. Try for authentic performances of music

21. Traces focus on permanence to meta legacy of Plato and points out many non-Western traditions embrace the opposite view: reality is constant flux transience impermanence

22. Transience and impermanence specifically appreciated in some aes traditions

23. E.g., Japanese aes sensibility

24. Beauty of something is cherished precisely because of its evanescence

25. Favorite symbols of beauty convey transience of existence,

a. Falling cherry blossoms, mist rain, snow wind; autumn leaves that signify effects of aging

26. Change and impermanence of many of our everyday objects and activities doe s not necessary detract from their aes value

a. They can heighten our awareness and enhance exp

27. Another dif: art objects (though often have utilitarian purposes) are created and app for their aes sig

28. Except for pure spectator sports and other forms of entertainment and amusement, most of our everyday objects and activities are created, used or performed first and foremost for nonaes purposes

a. Clean kitchen/bath for hygiene, cook/eat food for nutrition, select our clothes for protection and comfort

29. Art-based aesthetic theorists may remind us that if we distance ourselves from our everyday practical concerns (adopt disinterested attitude), we can attend to aes values of everyday objects/activities

a. Can and do do this: contemplate knife as if piece of sculpture

b. Doing so compromises aes value by limiting various sensory inputs which are all integrated into our everyday exp of this object

30. Aes value of a knife not only its visual qualities and feel in hand (smooth surface weight and balance), but most importantly how smoothly and effortlessly I can cut an object with it

31. Aes focus on utilitarian aspect of object!

32. Aes and practical can not be neatly separated

33. Practical/utlitarian purposes intimately bound up with our everyday exp, this does not necessary detract from aes value

34. Mistake to recognize aes value of everyday objects only insofar as they are momentarily isolated from their everyday context and treated as art objects created for aes purposes.

35. Everyday objects/activities are primarily utlitarian

36. Because created/performed for practical purposes, do not communicate/express a view, idea, world view as do most artworks

37. But some important communications and expressions do take place via everyday objects/ activities

38. It is remarkable how much seemingly nonaes daily concerns are dominated by aes dimensions

a. Is her assumption that if aes dimensions are key that communication of ideas is there?

b. Does she mean “artistic intentions”

c. Is she conflating aesthetic with artistic

d. Is she evaluating non-art objects aes based on art model?

39. E.g., of rituals and ceremonies

a. Weddings, funerals,

b. Expressing religious commitments, attitudes toward life and human relationships

c. Via choice of color scheme, music, costume, setting, organization of the ceremonies

40. Even if find emphasis on aes in these rituals excessive/superficial, aes plays crucial role in many cultural practices

41. Often moral judgement of a person relies on aes concerns

i. Whether right or wrong

b. We do tend to make moral judgments on someone’s character by evaluating his/her appearance

c. E.g., moral judge person with unshaven face, disheveled hair, soiled, tattered and wrinkled clothes

i. Especially if we bel they can afford to look otherwise

ii. Of if he shows up that way at job interview

iii. Or in dif context may judge him as making a certain statement via his appearance

d. Make unfavorable judge on homeowner if her yard is unkempt and her house disorganized and messy

i. Messy office suggests person is disorganized;

ii. The aesthetic if a consequence or sign of the moral, not nec an independent factor?

e. Judge of character sometimes not based on what a person does or says, but way she says or does it

i. Tone of voice, facial expressions, how opens and closes doors

42. To an extent then we assess a person on the aesthetic surface

a. Though not like way ancient Japanese assessed person’s moral worth exclusively by her aesthetic capacity and sensibility

43. Remarkable how entrenched our practice is of assessing other’s characters, moral virtue, capability and attitude via their aesthetic manifestations.

44. Moral virtue can be conveyed by the aesthetics of objects

a. Japanese food taste, texture, arrangement embody a respect for nature

i. (By max ingredients native characteristics)

45. In interpreting art, we segregate/dist our judge of artwork and artist (though many aspects of artist’s life can be relevant to under object)

46. Such a distinction is not reasonable in everyday objects

47. Kind of communication/expression of everyday objects/activities are taken as embodiment of personal character

a. Unreasonable to require we bracket our interest in other person in our aes exp of these things

48. Everyday objects/activities provide another way aes surface acts as vehicle of commination/expression, dif from way in which art functions as such a vehicle

a. How dif?

49. Special urgency for exploring everyday aes

a. Aes sensibility we cultivate and resultant judgments we make regrading everyday aes and objects have serious consequences effect everybody’s lives

b. Our everyday aes pref/decisions have serious far reaching consequences and deserve aestheticians long overdue attention

50. Eg, effect on (mainly female) human body explored in Beauty Matters

51. E,g, Ecological impact of aes pref regarding nature and env.

a. Sci lament fact that public wants to protect aspects of nature that are aes appealing

i. Pandas, whales, seals, redwoods,

ii. but not cod insects, prairies and wetlands

(1) These are in more dire need of protection

b. Midwestern farmers land use decisions were primarily motivated by aes not economic or pragmatic considerations

c. Primary obstacle of public acceptance of ecologically sustainable design is aes.