Beauty

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Debbie Harry by Robert Mapplethorpe, 1978. (image source)

The essay, “Every Man Knows Where and How Beauty Gives Him Pleasure: Beauty Discourse and the Logic of Aesthetics” by Amelia Jones, is rebelling against the patriarchal idea and authority of beauty as set forth by a modern group of art critics. Throughout the paper Jones works to abolish the notion that any one person, especially the white male status quo, can be an authority on the subject of beauty. She believes each of us should make that choice based on our own subjective criteria. She has focused her essay on the art critic Dave Hickey and his (and others) “...hubris in the matter of claiming absolute personal authority for aesthetic judgment…” Jones believes that Hickey is being irresponsible with his influence as an art critic and would like to suggest a new way of evaluating beauty that is less patriarchal and more inclusive.

I agree that beauty is subjective and that each of us are the final authority on what we perceive as such, but that doesn’t mean that there isn’t value in opposing viewpoints because opposition demands confrontation. I assume that her biggest problem with Hickey is not that he has an opinion, but that he is not using his position as an art authority wisely. His arrogance is dangerous, unproductive, and the collective is tired of hearing about it. A great deal of art would be left out of the conversation if his opinion was the only one that mattered. Personal aesthetics aside, why should he be the arbiter of beauty?

I have included in this essay, a photo of musician/actress Debbie Harry by Robert Mapplethorpe. I chose this photo as a challenge to Hickey’s idea that beauty should be emotionally detached and devoid of pleasure. I wonder if he would find this photo beautiful? It certainly fits into the criteria of white, female, non-errotic but seductive. She lacks decoration and ornamentation, a criteria that, according to Jone’s essay, dispelled Pompadour’s Bouchers from the criteria of beauty. The problem, I believe, that Hickey and company would have with this photo would be her confidence and glaring sexual potency. Those criteria, however, are why I find this photo so alluring. I understand Jones' frustration. As a white female that exists in a diverse universe, it is disappointing that the ideals of Hickey are still being clung to in 2021. The fact that these notions are espoused as authority are even more bizarre. Is he merely playing a role that motivates us to rebel against him? This sort of rebellion is where some of the best art comes from. Of course, all of that is mere speculation, but it’s really the only way I can come to terms with his viewpoint.

If we are to judge art, then we should understand that it is a personal choice. It is absurd to give up individual control when making it. I’m glad these archaic discriminatory practices are no longer prevalent in academia. Like Jones, I take comfort in knowing that they have been banished to the journalistic world. They do make for good conversation though.

Source
  Jones, Amelia. “Every man knows where and how beauty gives him pleasure...Beauty Discourse and the Logic of Aesthetics.” Aesthetic Judgement and thePublic Sphere. 2002. Print. Accessed 31 August 2021, https://blackboard.lms.csupueblo.edu/webapps/blackboard/execute/blti/launchPlacement?blti_placement_id=_9_1&content_id=_1231197_1&course_id=_52933_1

Comments

  1. Felicity ClaySeptember 3, 2021 at 4:56 PM

    Hey Ashley! Your blog post was very entertaining and engaging to read. My favorite part was when you asked if Dave Hickey was “playing a role that motivates us to rebel against him?” His viewpoint is outdated and boorish for me as well. You also made the good point that if Hickey were the sole arbiter of the art world, a lot of amazing art, especially of our modern era, would be left out.

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    Replies
    1. Ashley MSeptember 5, 2021 at 7:18 PM

      Hi, Felicity! I appreciate you taking the time to read through my blog. When I started reading this essay, Jones' anger was so volatile it was off-putting. It made me want to defend Hickey no matter how irrational it seemed. Then, I started getting angry at the man, and I realized that Jones' had good reason for her volatility. She even stated that she was going to be very "polemic" in the writing. This is when the turning point came. I got the feeling that Hickey was just putting on an act in order to either start a conversation or to sell his books.

      Delete
  2. Veronica MoffittSeptember 3, 2021 at 6:17 PM

    Hello Ashley, yes this does make for interesting conversation!
    I cannot agree more with your post. Hickey’s idea of how to view beauty is fine, because that is his individual idea and his choice, and as a lot of people agree beauty is subjective, but for him to project that onto others in such an authoritarian way is extremely excluding and like you stated unproductive. Especially because he was an art critic and pushed further to block in and exclude so many others with his idea.

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    Replies
    1. Ashley MSeptember 5, 2021 at 7:29 PM

      Hi, Veronica! Thank you for reading my post. Jones' essay was a difficult post in that it was hard to wrap my head around. I had some volatile emotions while reading it. I have trouble understanding that a modern day art critic truly believes these archaic, racist, and misogynistic ideas of beauty. I have to believe he is just trying to be controversial and sell his books. Regardless, it is a dangerous thing to assert your authority onto others without truly understanding the negative consequences of your ideas. By starting this debate he has created some interesting conversation that would have been good buzz for his book.

      Delete

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