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The Sense of Earthiness: Everyday Aesthetics

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2024

Katya Mandoki
Katya Mandoki*
Affiliation:
Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Mexico
*
Katya Mandoki, Division de Ciencias y Artes para el Diseño Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Campus Xochimilco, Calzada del Hueso1100, Col. Villa Quietud, Coyoacán, 04960 México, D. F. Email: [email protected]
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Abstract

A lady, a mare, a lire and a vase are the examples chosen by Hippias Major to reply Socrates’ questions on beauty. These illustrate the fact that the debate on issues related to aesthetics began from the most concrete situations and basic items we may encounter day by day. In this paper I will consider two rudimentary events lacking any of the qualities traditionally considered aesthetic; items that have no elegance, grace or style and are not original, creative or expressive. These plain, simple objects and situations do not intend to incite contemplation because they do not conform to any model of art or beauty nor manifest syntactic or semantic complexity. I am referring to the most prosaic and yet capable of inducing a deep aesthetic response akin to that conveyed by traditional aesthetic objects. A difficult case to argue but for a quality which, despite being entirely ignored by western aesthetic theory, is still worth of regard. This quality may be defined as earthiness or the tellurian, a sensuous and symbolic celebration of sheer materiality in everyday life.

Type
Articles
Information
Diogenes , Volume 59 , Issue 1-2: Why New Aesthetics? , May 2012 , pp. 138 - 147
Copyright
Copyright © ICPHS 2013

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