Anti Art Aesthetics

Michelle Caplin

BA Visual and Critical Studies

Philosophical and Artistic initiatives

Exploring Anti Art and the consequential place of Aesthetics in Contemporary Art

Abstract

“What is Art?” and “What makes Art beautiful?” are key questions researched by many including Artists, anthropologists, psychologists, philosophers and programmers. Art has been a developing and universal concept. The basic meaning of the term "art" has altered numerous times and has continued to change throughout the 20th century. The question has been the topic of continual examination, with numerous accounts and journal articles debating over the stipulations of what is defined as "art”. Time moves on and contemporary art evolves, with controversy following. One

The research has two major purposes: to explore the basis, consequences and attitudes towards Anti arts rejection of beauty as a creative ideal, and to determine whether there is a need to bring back the aesthetic approaches which existed before Anti Art.

Throughout the exploration I endeavor to show how the notion of aesthetics conflicted with Anti Art and its subsequent impact, by looking at contemporary works, which some believe no longer need to work within anatomical symmetry or mythology. In oder to gain the in depth knowledge required I will research into the past of aesthetics fate at the influences of modernist movements so as to apprehend in what way and why the postmodern, heavily swayed by conceptualism, displaced it.

This analysis is expected to show how there has been an evident decease of beauty in contemporary art, due to an enduring demand for 'something new ' to be created. It will be clear through my analysis that beauty has been de-objectified, and how it is additionally challenging for Art critics to assert what is and isn’t considered

Aspects of beauty being a necessary component were dismissed. This Dadaist practice of displacing objects from their standard setting and signifying them as art - was used extensively by future assemblage and Pop-artists.I will illustrate through examples how the ‘readymade’ or everyday object, like Duchamp’s urinal, spoke to the existence of modernization. Although Dada only survived for a few years its impact was considerable.

Thesis Statement

The notion of beauty has become significantly detached from the definition of art due to the Anti Art movements altered attitudes towards aesthetics.

Research questions:

The following research questions will guide the study and literature review-

In contemporary Art, are most works of art typically viewed as anti-aesthetic?

Since Anti Art, have works become more of a philosophical initiative rather than an artistic one?

Why have art critics claimed there is no such thing as art?

Is there an importance to Artworks possessing Aesthetic Value?

Is there a need for Aesthetics?

Does Beauty still exist in art and interest artists?

When did art become so reluctant to embrace