A Meaningful Design or Pattern - Case Study Example

u08a1 Personal Reflection Project Jamie Ferguson jferguson@quantaservices.com HUM1000 December 05, Susan Fox Aesthetic Point of View The essenceof beauty has astounded and intrigued various aspects of human lives for centuries. Random House Dictionary (2009) defines beauty as “the quality present in a thing or person that gives intense pleasure or deep satisfaction to the mind, whether arising from sensory manifestations (as shape, color, sound, etc.), a meaningful design or pattern, or something else (as a personality in which high spiritual qualities are manifest).” Aesthetics, on the other hand, solicit diverse meanings, to wit: “the study of art and beauty” (Steinbauer 2006); “....""Aesthetics"" or esthetics is a branch of philosophy dealing with the definition of beauty” (Singh 2008). The concept of beauty is subjective in nature as it had been popularly coined by the phrase “beauty is in the eye of the beholder” (Martin 2009). The phrase "the aesthetic point of view” depends on the person’s perspectives which was developed though various experiences and orientations. I realized from the given assignments of the course, the sense of beauty was slowly enhanced and awareness was honed through personal direction accorded by the diverse art forms and medium. The Marketplace Visit was my initiation to an enlightenment in understanding the aesthetic approach to one’s surroundings, particularly the restaurant I visited, in lieu of the market place. There was a realization at this point that the concept of beauty is actually experienced through other senses, not just the sense of sight. With various aromas, taste of the T-bone steak and the thirst that was quenched by the iced cold un- sweet tea, in conjunction with the calming effect of the atmosphere designed in the old Wild West, it was as if I was brought back into time and was made to relish the warmth and comforts of good old days. Beauty was experienced through the senses provided by the Hoof and Horn visit. Taking a picture was another memorable experience which attained learning the value of appreciating beauty at its natural form. The “Unnamed Tree” could just be disregarded by majority as an eyesore – a dried and dying unpreventable consequence of nature. However, the aesthetics in that picture could be seen as one reflects on the aspects of its surroundings, its artistic form, its sublimely matt color and the remaining breath of life through the birds nestling in its contoured branches. The viewer – giving meaning and life through one’s eyes provide enormous amounts of aesthetics in the unnamed tree’s existence. Designs, brands, corporate logos and product characteristics and forms all provide valuable lessons on aesthetics in the corporate world. The Trip to Target enabled me to focus on the effort given by organizations in tediously creating brands, images and products that would entice consumers to purchase them and to be addressed their various needs. Michael Graves’ collection of house wares, vehicles that are visions of art through intricately designed forms like Porsche or Ferrari; the latest models of technological gadgets (laptops, cellphones) with multifunctional features – all encompass aesthetic aspects in their creation and design to encourage clients to purchase them and bask, not only in functionality, but also in their beauty. Ivan Ilych looks back over his life with regrets. The assignment on Ivan Ilych accorded me to look deeply and remunerate on one’s life and to assess if I am living it to the fullest. The experience of looking at life from another person’s point of view is another lesson on aesthetics as people realize the relevance of giving importance to loved ones and to the things that really matters most. Literary works of art are mostly revered mediums of expression which provide valuable lessons to readers. This assignment uplifted and enhanced my aesthetic point of view as proffered from the valuable experience of Ivan Ilych. Another form of aesthetic expression which I truly appreciated and enjoyed is the opportunity given through listening to diverse musical compositions in the private concert. The meaning in music is subjective depending on the composer and the listener. The composer as the originator of the musical piece expresses meaning through the elements of movement (perceived as ascending or descending), rhythmic patterns (manifesting actions, emotions), melody (conveying feelings of excitement, depression, expectation, peace, joy, sadness, among others). The final composition, when heard by listeners, could be interpreted differently based on other factors such as the personality of the listener, emotional status and mood at the time of listening, environmental conditions, among others. Aesthetics in music is appreciated as one realizes that the power of music is to move and transform people into better persons by giving a sense of upliftment, a feeling of happiness, joy and profound peace. Finally, most people would normally associate architecture as a design of structures, buildings or homes. Delving into its definition revealed that the term architecture, like its merging of elements, is both a system and a reference that needs to be examined and qualified. With the enormity of architectural designs of the past century, various architectural works emerged as extraordinary and exemplary in sytle, design, and aesthetic value. There are architectural styles which relay to the world that nature can be used as part of man’s creations with effective application of skills learned in architectural designs. The background of the architect, when surrounded by the beauty of nature, could be the defining trait which continues to be imbibed in one’s works. Instead of cutting a tree or removing landmarks and stone formations on structures that need to be created, one could incorporate these in one’s architectural style and design. It takes genuine talent, the love for nature, creative skills and interest in architectural designs to create structures that would be considered historical landmarks of the future. Overall, the various mediums and surroundings accorded by various assignments from the module was a joy to behold. They provided the necessary elements to make one aware of finding aesthetics in every aspect of life: in an ordinary market place (or restaurant), in a photograph, in corporate designs, through the lives of other people, through music and architectural designs – one is privileged to be surrounded by beauty. One’s aesthetic point of view was thereby honed through critically experiencing life and using, not only one’s sense of sight, to savor aesthetics in its purest form. Change in Life from Practicing the Aesthetic Point of View As indicated, the exercises provided by various modules enhanced my personal aesthetic point of view in terms of widening my abilities to appreciate beauty as experienced through all the senses. In so doing, practicing a more holistic approach in appreciating the world around through various perspectives provides the opportunity for personal and professional growth and maturity. One’s life can be changed through the privilege accorded by a multidisciplinary method of being more sensitive to recognize value of things around us beyond their external appearance. There is beauty in everything around us. One needs to closely examine the innermost qualities of those being analyzed to be thankful for the benefits they provide. Through routinary and ordinary activities such as eating, purchasing, viewing photographs, listening to people, one could learn a whole lot more through practicing the use of the aesthetic approach. By being more attentive, by looking beyond the façade, by trying to critically analyze the aim of an essay or a written literature, by using the sense of smell, touch, ears and nose to experience the food we eat, or to appreciate the words being relayed by our professors and classmates, we begin to integrate the method of aesthetic appreciation beyond the traditional means. Like every other endeavor, the development of the aesthetic appreciation approach as a skill is honed through regular practice. One must be vigilant and committed to learn more from simple things. Eventually, the aesthetic point of view becomes integrated as part of one’s natural ability to recognize and appreciate the world around us. Aesthetic Point of View versus Practical, Scientific and Technical Points of Views As the experience accorded through the course modules, one realized that the aesthetic point of view is a multidisciplinary approach to recognizing beauty, in general, with the use of one’s senses and through diverse angles. This is different from the practical, scientific and technical points of view in terms of its subjective and multidimensional perspective. Practical is defined as “concerned with the application of knowledge to useful ends” (Webster, 2010). While technical and scientific means “concerned with or making use of technicalities or minute, formal points or having to do with the practical, industrial, or mechanical arts or the applied sciences” (Webster, 2010). These are exact and objectives points of view using the I-it or instrumental relation; which manifests that as an application, these points of view make use of something discovered or found to one’s personal interest and intent. The aesthetic point of view is more of an I-thou or intrinsic relation, where things are left as they are seen accordingly. Buber’s explanation on the distinction betweenI-thou and I-it was clearly proffered that “the idea of God is properly an aesthetic one, not one that can be appreciated inside the context of either science or ethics. True religion arises when we simply stand before the universe and let it reveal itself to us as an aesthetic object” (Buber, 1971). When students realize that the I-thou approach to seeing things become slowly ingrained as a personal approach where things are analyzed through diverse angles and perspectives, learning has begun to be integrated in an aesthetic point of view as contrasted to the practical, scientific, or technical points of view where there is a need to determine their application to future use. Most Beneficial Historical Period From among the historical periods studied in this module, I personally appreciated and learned more from the Modernism and the Contemporary Spirit due to the reason that I can appreciate it more for its contemporary content and the diversity of expression, ease in access and the vast options in forms, medium, style and genre by which one can enjoy any form at any point in time. From the discussion in the module on Modern Art, I realized that the art and music during the Romantic Era was characterized by extending the rules which were restricted or formally structured during the Classical Era. Composers during the Romantic Era extended the boundaries in terms of exploring diverse possibilities in movement, harmonies, rhythm, melody and tones, among other musical elements. There were schools of thought during the era that were delineated in terms of extending the rules conservatively or defying any boundaries and restrictions. Music, for instance, as a form of artistic expression of sound in various media has evolved dramatically over the last century. The change in musical scenario was largely due to technological advancement in instrumental equipment and forms of recording, composing, listening and storing musical scores over periods to time. With contemporary music being enjoyed by the younger generation in a wider array of technological gadgets and equipments, the role of technology is closely reviewed and evaluated in terms of its being used for and against the interests of the musical recording industry in general. The ability to easily access different musical compositions through the computer regardless of time and location paved the way for increased opportunities to enjoy music in the comforts of one’s home and by accessing a multitude of options from an array of composers and musical selections. However, the past eras continue to influence modern art in terms of appreciating the traditional forms and styles that were clearly defined during those times. Classical music, being timeless and boundless, touches the life even of the young generation, as manifested by young musicians who have the privilege to enjoy, appreciate, love classical music – from the times of their creation, until contemporary modern composers learn to create new versions of classical music which would likewise be enjoyed in the future. The power of modern art and music continue to move and transform people into better persons by giving a sense of upliftment, a feeling of happiness, joy and peace Conclusion The manner by which the course modules were presented were highly effective in the development and growth of one’s aesthetic point of view. Previous to the course, I have limited perspective in viewing, analyzing, and even enjoying any work of art due to the inability to appreciate them from a multidimensional perspective. Through the requirements of complying one assignment after the other, skills were gradually honed starting from using each and every sense in appreciating diverse art medium and structures. The actual experiences of going to restaurants and participating in savoring one’s food, observing the ambience, enjoying the taste and experiencing culture helped improve the level of appreciation in recognizing beauty, not only externally, but more on the inner elements of art. The relevant course references assisted in guiding and providing directions, as well as in supporting the newly found methods of appreciating art. Through reading, validating, personally experiencing art in various medium, form, structure, styles and through various time frames, my aesthetic point of view was profoundly developed from one which could be been virtually in restive slumber, to one which is actively enhanced to further appreciate and recognize art everywhere in the future. References Buber, M. (1971). I and thou. New York: Free Press Martin, G. (2009). Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. 2009. Retrieved 4 December 2010. Random House Dictionary. (2010). Definition of Beauty. Retrieved 4, December 2010. Singh, S. (2008). What is Aesthetician? Retrieved 05 December 2010. Steinbauer, A. (2006). Aesthetics and Philosophy: A Match Made in Heaven? Retrieved 05 December 2010. Webster’s New World College Dictionary. (2010). Practical. Retrieved 09 December 2010. ________________. (2010). Technical. Retrieved 09 December 2010. < http://www.yourdictionary.com/technical> Read More