- Full Title: Aesthetics as Cultivation of the Senses
- Dates: February 4–5, 2023, 11:00 am–3:00 pm
- Location: CHS Greece, Nafplio
- Organized by: CHS Greece
- Open to: All (up to 18 positions)
- Application Period: December 15–January 15, 2023
- Language: Greek
- Academic Coordination: Fay Zika (Associate Professor of Philosophy and Theory of Art, Vice-Rector of Research and Lifelong Learning, Athens School of Fine Arts)
- Activity Administration: Matina Goga (CHS Greece)
Interest in the workshop exceeded all expectations, and since the available places for the workshop have already been filled, we inform you that we will not accept additional applications. We warmly thank all interested parties, and stay tuned for more related activities in the future.
About the workshop
Overview
Aesthetics as a branch of philosophy was named after the possibility to transform sensory perception into aesthetic judgment. Its central problem, the so-called problem of taste, was formulated on the basis of the subjective character of the sense of gustatory taste (De gustibus non est disputandum).
The first part of the workshop traces the reasons why Aesthetics emerged in the 18th century as a separate philosophical discipline, as well as some of the subsequent shifts which occurred in relation to its central concepts.
The second part begins with a critique of the so-called "ocularcentric" tradition in art, that is, the emphasis on the sense of sight, in order to bring out the significance of the different senses, on the one hand, in relation to artistic creativity in specific arts, and on the other, in relation to aesthetic experience and judgment.
The workshop also explores new developments in the field of sciences related to perception, their relationship with philosophy, and their contribution to the arts. Topics to be examined include sculpture as a relationship between sight and touch, the upgrading of taste and the consideration of food as art, the relationship of sound-color or painting-music through synaesthesia, as well as multisensory multimedia in the formation of a total experience.
Thematic areas – Workshop structure
The approach to the workshop's topic will be structured on the following thematic axes:
Day one
- From gustatory taste to aesthetic taste
- The beautiful and the sublime in nature and art
- The consolidation of Aesthetics
- The emergence of the Fine Arts
- Ocularcentrism
- Criticism of Aesthetics
- Restoration of the senses
- The influence of the sciences
Day two
- Aesthetics as cultivation of the senses
- Sculpture as a relationship between vision and touch and other arts related to the sense of touch
- Taste and food as Art
- The phenomenon of synaesthesia and visual music
- The total art work: the unification of the senses and the arts
- Multisensory forms of art
- The cultivation of the garden
During the workshop meetings, the academic coordinator will introduce the above topics, and participants are invited to contribute to the group's discussions and case studies actively. In addition, ten days before the workshop, participants will receive relevant material that they can optionally study in advance.
Objectives
Participants in the workshop are expected to:
- Become familiar with the concepts of Aesthetics and their philosophical shifts.
- Examine the relationship between Aesthetics and the formation of Fine Arts.
- Recognize the dimensions of the relationship between sensory perception and aesthetic judgment.
- Evaluate the influence of science and philosophy on the restoration of the senses in the field of Aesthetics.
- Reflect on the cultivation of the senses as an expansion of our perception and its effect on our way of life.
- Explore various art forms in the light of the different senses as well as the project of the unification of the senses and the arts.
- Develop critical thinking and the ability to articulate a theoretical discourse that connects all the above with a modern approach to Aesthetics.
Participation
Participation in the workshop is free of charge and no prior knowledge is required about the subjects to be discussed.
The 18 participants will be selected on a first-come-first-served basis in the order of applications received. If applications exceed the threshold of 18, the selection criterion will be participating for the first time in a CHS workshop in combination with the application submission time.
CHS will provide the participants who complete the activity successfully with a thank you letter, certifying their participation in the workshop.
All applicants will be notified by CHS Greece by January 20, 2023, by e-mail about the progress of their application. Participants need to confirm their participation by e-mail and will also receive upon confirmation further instructions regarding their participation and the submission of other related forms by phone. For clarifications on the workshop and the application process, you can contact the Center for Hellenic Studies daily (10:00 am–5:00 pm) at (+30) 27520 47040.
CHS constantly monitors the instructions of Harvard University and the Greek Authorities, strictly observing all the current health protocols, and will inform participants accordingly if there are changes in the safety protocols and regulations.