Mod 2: Video and CNN Article Review

1. For each video and article list/discuss the key concepts you learned.

Aesthetics: Philosophy of the Arts (Video) -

This video offers insight to the interactions between artist, artwork and the audience.  Plato believes that art is a reflection of nature or something else. Aristotle defined beauty as a form of order, symmetry and definiteness which can be explained by mathematical science.  In pertinence to plays, the unity of action, time (not exceeding 24 hours) and place (the action of the play takes place in the same location). 

CARTA (Video) - 

This video is a collaboration between neurologist Vilayanur Ramachandran and neurobiologist Jean-Pierre Changeux and how neurobiology mediates our perception of creativity and aesthetics.  The brain creates these patterns and scaffolding and stores them in the long term memory, which helps us to build the framework for our creativity or a lens from which to reference new experiences.  The brain becomes very active when surprised.  After that moment passes and the brain becomes bored again, activity levels drop.  Artists aim to keep these levels up for as long as possible by creating multi-faceted works that have many sensory levels to them.  It is also important to differentiate how we perceive things.  Some things we perceive bottom up; realism, and mentally reverse engineering things versus top down; abstraction, uncovering new layers as we go.
There are 8 laws of art as well
1 - grouping ; this reinforcement is the source of the pleasant sensation
2 - peak shift principle; to capture the essence of something, an artist amplifies the differences of that object, or what makes it unique
3 - contrast; playing on the values of shadows and highlights and also eliminating redundant information and focusing attention
4 - isolation of a specific que to create attention; a black and white photograph of a child holding a balloon, but the balloon is still in color and is red. This prevents non-unique features from detracting from the image.
5 - perceptual problem solving; the brain "filling in the blanks"
6 - symmetry; aesthetically appealing
7 - abhorrence of unique vantage points; in a landscape image, the viewer will interpret an object in the foreground as obscuring an object in the background, rather than assuming that the background figure has a piece missing
8 - art as a metaphor; enables the viewer to highlight crucial aspects that the two objects share


What the brain draws form Art (Article) -

This article started out with the idea that art is a lie and artists use their art to lead us to the truth behind that lie.  It uses that concept as a springboard to relate our perception of art to how our brain processes the information we're taking in.  We can take the 2 dimensional and transform it into a multi-dimensional interpretation; our brain can "fill in the blanks" so to speak, and the artist can use that concept to lead us to the point they are attempting to make.  Artists can also utilize luminance and color because our brains compare activity in the cones of our eyes and can add them together as luminance, or how much light appears to pass through a given area.  Scientists have even come to get an understanding of why we like and enjoy art.  Distortion of certain things (the softness of a brush stroke, the harshness of a line, how symmetry tends to calm the brain) can create a certain resonance within our neurons that actually draws us in and allows us to enjoy the artwork.  There is now a field, called neuroesthetics, that studies why people appreciate art and music and, scientifically, what beauty is.  

2. Which philosopher's theroy on aesthetics do you feel is most important? Be sure to mention the philosphers name, era (time in history), and contribution to the aesthetic theory in your response.

I feel that Francis Hutcheson (1964 - 1746) had the most important impact on the theory of aesthetics.  During the 18th century he helped shift the idea of beauty and harmony as characteristics of the world, to those of personal experience.  He helped create and distinguish the difference between absolute beauty, that found in nature, and the relative beauty that is related to art.  The difference plays into the concept that art immitates life, life as the original and art as the interpreted copy.  I think his concept helped to define the vast spectrum of personal differences and experiences that allow each of us to interpret art slightly differently.  He gave levels to the thinking and feeling of art, where one representation can come in many forms and levels of iteself; one painting of a sunset could be more, less, etc than another.
 
3. What do you think about Changeux and Ramachandran scientific view of aesthetics and art? What was the most interesting fact you discovered from each speakers lecture? 

I really enjoyed the scientific approach to aesthetics and art.  They make many valid points and have the scientific data to prove it.  I personally liked the explanation of 8 laws of art.  They work as a unit to lead the viewer to the place that the artist intended, usually without even realizing it.  It's much how water follows the path of least resistance, when viewing art ones eye moves through a piece and takes information in, drawing a conclusion from it.

4. How do the videos and article relate to the readings in the text?

The theory of the first video help to solidify the concepts of chapter 3.  I like that it ties into the different references art can use.  When viewing older art it's good to know how people perceived beauty, as that changes aesthetic as well.  The second video gives a very good scientific representation of those same points, allowing fact to back up thought.  The article went into detail of how manipulating those things can allow you to create a desired effect or bring the viewer to a desired outcome.  Manipulating your art allows you to use your art as a tool and vessel for change.

5. What is your opinion of the films and article? How do they add depth to understanding of the topics in your reading in the text?

The films and article help give a real world aspect to what the textbook is referencing.  It is easier to understand and apply the sometimes methodical concepts of the textbook with real people, events, etc.  Learning the timeline of how aesthetics has changed into our perception of it present day was really helpful as well when looking at older art and being able to reference the views on beauty as well. I really appreciated that the article tied science into everything, because that adds another layer of validity and shows how life changing art is with solidified factual information.