For this content assignment, we were to write about an image, video, music file, or other phenomenon and compose an argument that considers its aesthetic qualities and applicability (or non-applicability) as an object of study in art education.
An aesthetic experience I’ve had recently has been the opportunity of seeing the DaVinci’s Mona Lisa at the Louvre this past spring break. I was so excited to finally see the ‘monumental’ Mona Lisa I had built up in my mind, but when I finally saw it in person- it was a very depressing Mona Lisa nugget (about 30in.x21in.) I had built up in my head this idea of what the Mona Lisa would be like when I actually approached it- bare on the wall so I could get up close and examine the brush strokes and details that a book couldn’t provide. Boy was I wrong. The Mona Lisa was behind glass, behind a wooden barrier and pretty much the only thing you could do was take a picture of it and claim that you were really there. What if the barrier hadn’t been there? How would my aesthetic experience have changed? What if the Mona Lisa had been bigger?
The aesthetic experience I had while at the Louvre can be applied to the classroom when discussing the contexts in which we view art and the expectations we have for these experiences. Students have a preconceived notion that all works of art are monumental, yet many of them are making these assumptions based off of what they see in their textbooks and view in slides in the classroom. I think that this lesson of viewing art in different contexts could be applied to all age groups.
Our discussions in the classroom could lead to visiting nearby museums and seeing works that were previously discussed. Seeing actual works in person would show the students that there is a difference between viewing works in museums, galleries, home, and in a textbook. It will make them want to have the aesthetic experience of being in front of a piece of art.
Having this aesthetic experience will encourage students to answer philosophical questions about what art is? How their perception of art changes when viewing it in different contexts? How would they describe and interpret their aesthetic experience?
The study of the image comparison of the Mona Lisa would be beneficial as an object of study in art education because it would allow students to discuss aesthetic experiences and what they are/ can be/ how they can happen? Until this quarter I haven’t thought much about aesthetic experiences, let alone know what one was. I think that if we introduce this idea to students earlier in their art careers, it may help them connect with their work and get more involved in art and philosophical discussions with other classmates.
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