Aesthetics and craftsmanship
Aestheticism was an art movement in the late 19th century which valued appearance over function. This is not to say that things were not functional, just that there was more emphasis on how things looked and what story they told. Today consumerism drives the market, where billions of dollars are poured into design as a concept. However people are thirsting again for originality. Aesthetics have become “cores”.. where ever you follow your folly you can find a group of people who also share your enthusiasm and appreciation for a specific aesthetic . While often manifested physically by style of clothing, house decor, color preferences, etc, Aestheticism reaches deeper. It inspires. It drives.
Today we have #lifegoals #lifehacks #… whatever you’re feeling… a searchable algorithm to “enhance” your interaction with a progressively singular online/digital world. People are more “connected” and more lonely than ever before. I think it is a major driving force in the “core aesthetics” and trends we are seeing emerge on certain social media platforms. People are desperate to find people. They want to feel seen, feel included. Following the path of least resistance, the societal flow cuts through the digital landscape. Carving out niches where like minds can gather.
In the concentrated pools of aesthetics I see extraordinarily high levels of craftsmanship. It goes beyond the art of creation. Art and creativity make the best out of whatever is available. An insatiable urge to communicate, with whatever is at hand, a passion to the world. There is no stopping it. Out of the passion and commitment to communicate, craftsmanship is born and masterworks are made. Craftsmanship moves past the “what if” and “I wonder”. It digs deep in to “what if, I used a better material” and the “I wonder how I can be better”.
Imagination is an uncut and precious stone. Sometimes coming forth sparkling and perfect in its raw state, like a crystal of aquamarine or quartz, but more often it is necessary to observe for flaws which may be then be ground down. To cut away the blemished surface. Allow the light to enter, refract, and bend. It is after a stone is cut that we can then appreciate how brightly it might shine. Exhibiting the craft-persons experience, dedication, and passion. A lifetime of accepting ones best as it comes and moving onto the next project knowing that they can try again and again and again. Experience teaches that sometimes, it is the flaw that is beautiful and those inclusions, scars, or fractures enhance the overall design. Craftsmanship is never completing your learning. Never to stop asking “what if” and “I wonder” leading you back to that spark of wanting to create more art. These things are not exclusionary, nor does one have to come before the other. The constant is curiosity.
I feel like by embodying the drive of craftsmanship and the desire for aesthetics our communities are strengthened. I want to be part of a world where people can appreciate all the hard work that goes into creating beautiful things, where there will be less burn out and conflict because compensation for the endless hours makes sense. Appreciation makes us more empathetic. It invites all to participate. It makes us better communicators. It makes us better people.
The thing I have come to love exploring the most, is how much everything is connected. Everything can be inspired by or for that which you love. When you’re obsessed with finding just the right line on your canvas, you see the world as a painting. When you practice a martial art, you become aware of your body’s every shift in balance and every breath. When you love a person, you see those things which they love with a fresh perspective and admiration. ALL of these translate into “expressions” when working on your art. You can feel the passion in a painting’s confident marks of thick paint defying gravity as they lift off the surface. You can feel music resonate in your soul or its physical waves of rumbling bass at a concert. Literature can transport you through time and space bringing to life the impossible. Putting on your favorite jacket can tell the world, “I got this”.
Whatever you choose to be. It doesn’t have to be marks on a surface, carved from stone, sung in saga or song… it is your time. Make the choices of what aesthetics and craftsmanship means to you. In the end we are all constructing the opus of our own lives. It is the art of living.
