Feminist aesthetics - Wikipedia Feminist aesthetics From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to navigation Jump to search Feminist aesthetics first emerged in the 1970s[1] and refers not to a particular aesthetic or style but to perspectives that question assumptions in art and aesthetics concerning gender-role stereotypes, or gender.[2] Feminist aesthetics has a relationship to philosophy. The historical philosophical views of what beauty, the arts, and sensory experiences are, relate to the idea of aesthetics. Aesthetics looks at styles of production.[3] In particular, feminists argue that despite seeming neutral or inclusive, the way people think about art and aesthetics is influenced by gender roles.[2] Feminist aesthetics is a tool for analyzing how art is understood using gendered issues.[4] A person's gender identity affects the ways in which they perceive art and aesthetics because of their subject position and the fact that perception is influenced by power.[5] The ways in which people see art is also influenced by social values such as class and race.[6] One's subject position in life changes the way art is perceived because of people's different knowledge's about life and experiences.[5] In the way that feminist history unsettles traditional history, feminist aesthetics challenge philosophies of beauty, the arts and sensory experience.[7] Starting in the 18th century, ideas of aesthetic pleasure have tried to define "taste". Kant and Hume both argued that there was universal good taste, which made aesthetic pleasure. A feminist line of logic about these attempts is that, because fine art was a leisure activity at this time, those who could afford to make art or produce supposed universal truths about how it is enjoyed would do so in a way that creates class and gender division.[2] Even when those universal aesthetes did address gender, they categorized aesthetics into two categories: beauty and sublimity; with beauty being small and delicate (feminine) and sublimity being large and awe-inspiring (masculine).[2] Feminist aesthetics analyzes why "feminine" traits are subservient compared to "masculine" traits in art and aesthetics.[8] Another explanation for the male-domination of forming aesthetic theory is that feminists express their aesthetic pleasure differently than non-feminist aesthetes for "whom the pleasure of theorizing [...] is a form of jouissance". Instead, a feminist is less likely to view the object as a disinterested interpreter, and intellectualize the sensation (Hilde Hein).[7] Morse[9] discusses how art is a social institution. The influence of institutions comes from those who created the structure, which is mainly by men. From a spectator's point of view, men looking at women, compared to women looking at women, produces different social implications. When understanding a feminist perspective, Morse discusses the ideas of “self-defined” and “self-determined” art by women artists.[9] Critics of feminist art argue that politics have no place in art, however, many art forms contain politics, but because of their subject position, the critics are unable to perceive it.[10] The language used when talking about aesthetics in art is limited. The lexicon is limited because it doesn't include femme and women identifying language. The language that does exist separates them as “female” artist. The examination of the need for there to be a separate field of feminist aesthetics is discussed. If there is a separate field, women's art gets defined as feminist, then it assumes that the “normal” and all other art is automatically categorized as masculine.[11] The idea of the creative genius is inspected in feminist aesthetics. In particular, women artists are often excluded from being creative or artistic geniuses.[encycl 1] This exclusion in part stems from the traditional masculine definitions of genius.[encycl 1] Christine Battersby has critiqued the fact that women are excluded from being known as geniuses because female artists will be separated from their art, and instead their art will be called genius, instead of the artist.[12] However, women were also excluded because they lacked the opportunities for artistic education required to be recognized as artists and geniuses.[13] In addition, the idea of the creative genius itself celebrates individualism – which Battersby calls "a kind of masculine heroism" – and overlooks the work of joint collaborations.[12] Linda Nochlin, an art historian, understands that art history comes from a Western male point of view, which creates a dominant way of viewing art. Nochlin questions why there have been no women artists in art history and understands that this is due to the influence of Western males within the field of art.[14] Aesthetic theories that make a distinction between "arts" and "crafts" can be viewed as anti-feminist.[15] Here, art usually refers to fine art and crafts refers to everything else which has everyday aesthetics.[5] Art forms traditionally used by women, such as embroidery or sewing, are perceived as crafts and not art, because of their domestic uses.[5] Feminist aesthetics focuses on all objects created by women, whether or not they are seen as "art".[10] Since those craft practices occur in the home where many women continue to work, their creativity is overlooked by the perception of "art", because their domain is marginalized.[16] The Guerrilla Girls are a contemporary an activist group that focuses on how feminism plays a role in public art. Their relationship to feminist aesthetics is relevant because they expose gender and ethnic bias, as well as corruption in the art, film and pop culture worlds. The group draws attention to the idea that women are not equally valued in these areas and fight to improve gender equality.[17] Another areas of study that is tied to feminist aesthetics is feminist art criticism. This area of study can focus on female body imagery, goddess imagery, personal narratives, and devaluation of "individual solitary genius."[18] Part of a series on Feminism History Social Feminist history History of feminism Women-only space Women's history American British Canadian German Timelines Women's suffrage Muslim countries US Other women's rights Suffrage by country Australia Canada Japan Kuwait Liechtenstein New Zealand Spain (Civil War) Spain (Francoist) Sweden Switzerland United Kingdom Cayman Islands Wales United States In states Utah Waves First Second Third Fourth General variants Analytical Anarchist Anti-abortion Atheist Conservative Cultural Cyber Difference Ecofeminism Vegetarian Embedded Equality Eugenic Fat French French post-structuralist Global Hip-hop/Activism Individualist Labor Lesbian Radical lesbianism Liberal Equity Lipstick Materialist Maternal Multicultural Black Chicana Indigenous Kurdish (Jineology) Native American White Neofeminism Networked New Postcolonial Postfeminism Postmodern Post-structural Radical Separatist Sex-positive Socialist Marxist Social Standpoint State Transfeminism Transnational Victim Womanism Africana Religious variants Buddhist Christian Mormon Neopagan Dianic Wicca Reclaiming Hindu Islamic Jewish Orthodox Sikh Concepts Literature Children's literature Effects on society Equality Female education Female genital mutilation Femicide Feminism in culture Feminist movement African-American women's suffrage movement Art movement In hip hop Feminist stripper Gender equality Girl power Honor killing International Girl's Day and Women's Day Language reform Matriarchal religion Media Men in feminism Misogyny Oedipus complex Opposition to feminism Political lesbianism Lesbian separatism Pro-feminism Protofeminism Purplewashing Reproductive justice Sex workers' rights Sexual harassment Sexual objectification Theory in composition studies Triple oppression Violence against women War on women Women's health Women's rights Toxic masculinity Outlooks Criticism of marriage Views on BDSM Views on pornography Views on prostitution Views on sexual orientation Views on sexuality Views on transgender topics Theory Feminist method Gender studies Gender mainstreaming Gynocentrism Kyriarchy Male gaze Matriarchy Women's studies Men's studies Patriarchy Écriture féminine Areas of study anthropology archaeology architecture art art criticism literary criticism film theory biology composition studies criminology pathways perspective economics fpda geography international relations constructivism legal theory pedagogy philosophy aesthetics empiricism epistemology ethics justice ethics existentialism metaphysics science political ecology political theory pornography psychology revisionist mythology science fiction sex wars sexology sociology technoscience theology womanist theology By country Albania Australia Bangladesh Canada China Democratic Republic of the Congo Denmark Egypt Ethiopia Finland France Germany Ghana Greece Hong Kong India Indonesia Iran Iraq Republic of Ireland Israel Italy Japan Latin America Argentina Brazil Chile Haiti Honduras Mexico Paraguay Trinidad and Tobago Lebanon Malaysia Mali Nepal Netherlands New Zealand Nigeria Northern Cyprus Norway Pakistan Philippines Poland Russia Syria Saudi Arabia South Africa South Korea Sweden Taiwan Thailand Turkey Vietnam Ukraine United Kingdom United States History of women Lists and categories Lists Articles Feminists by nationality Literature American feminist literature Feminist comic books Conservative feminisms Ecofeminist authors Feminist art critics Feminist economists Feminist philosophers Feminist poets Feminist rhetoricians Jewish feminists Muslim feminists Feminist parties Suffragists and suffragettes Women's rights activists Women's studies journals Women's suffrage organizations Categories Women's rights by country Feminists by nationality  Feminism portal v t e See also[edit] Feminist art criticism Guerrilla Girls References[edit] ^ "Feminist Aesthetics: Art and Artists: Historical Background". The Feminist eZine. ^ a b c d "Feminist Aesthetics". Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Retrieved February 1, 2014. ^ Hein, Hilde (23/1990). "The Role of Feminist Aesthetics in Feminist Theory". The Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism. 48 (4): 281–291. doi:10.2307/431566. JSTOR 431566. S2CID 192405160. Check date values in: |date= (help) ^ Lyudmyla Fedorivna, Bulanova-Duvalko. "Philosophical Aspects of Understanding the Trend of Feminist Aesthetics". Studia Humanitatis. 3. ^ a b c d Korsmeyer, Carolyn (2002). "Feminist Aesthetics". In Code, Lorraine (ed.). Encyclopedia of Feminist Theories. Taylor & Francis Group. ISBN 9780203195598. ^ Stubs, Roberta; Teixeira-Filho, Fernando Silva; Lessa, Patricia. "Artivismo, estetica feminista e producao de sobjetividade". Revista Estudos Feministas. 26. doi:10.1590/1806-9584-2018v26n238901. ^ a b Hein, Hilde (Autumn 1990). "The Role of Feminist Aesthetics in Feminist Theory". The America Society for Aesthetics. 48 (4): 281–291. JSTOR 431566. ^ Korsmeyer, Carolyn (2004). Gender and Aesthetics: An Introduction. Routledge. ISBN 9780415266581. ^ a b Morse, Marcia (April 1992). "Feminist Aesthetics and the Spectrum of Gender". Philosophy East and West. 42 (2): 287–295. doi:10.2307/1399292. JSTOR 1399292. ^ a b Hein, Hilde; Korsmeyer, Carolyn (1993). Aesthetics in Feminist Perspective. Bloomington: Indiana University Press. ^ Waugh, Joanne B. (23/1990). "Analytic Aesthetics and Feminist Aesthetics: Neither/Nor?". The Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism. 48 (4): 317–326. doi:10.2307/431569. JSTOR 431569. Check date values in: |date= (help) ^ a b Battersby, Christine (1989). Gender and Genius: Towards a Feminist Aesthetics. The Women's Press Ltd. ISBN 978-0704343009. ^ Korsmeyer, Carolyn (2004). "Amateurs and Professionals". Gender and Aesthetics: An Introduction. Understanding Feminist Philosophy. London: Taylor and Francis. p. 59. ISBN 9780203646632. ^ Nochlin, Linda (2018-02-12), "Why Have There Been No Great Women Artists?", Women, Art, and Power and Other Essays, Routledge, pp. 145–178, doi:10.4324/9780429502996-7, ISBN 9780429502996, S2CID 53325846 ^ Pollock, Griselda (1999). "Differencing: Feminism's encounter with the canon". Differencing the Canon: Feminism and the Writing of Art's Histories. New York: Routledge. p. 25. ISBN 9780415066990. ^ Leddy, Thomas (2012). The Extraordinary in the Ordinary: The aesthetics of everyday life. Broadview Press. ^ "OUR STORY". Guerrilla Girls. Retrieved 2019-10-17. ^ "The Crime of Candor: Feminist Art Criticism | Studio Potter". studiopotter.org. Retrieved 2019-10-17. ^ a b Battersby, Christine (1998). "Genius and Feminism". In Kelly, Michael (ed.). Encyclopedia of Aesthetics. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780195113075. v t e Feminist theory Academic fields Anthropology Archaeology Architecture Art Art criticism Film theory Literary criticism Biology Composition studies Criminology Digital humanities Economics FPDA Geography History International relations (Constructivism) Legal theory Pedagogy Philosophy Aesthetics Empiricism Epistemology Ethics Existentialism Metaphysics Science Political ecology Political theory Postmodernism Psychology Sexology Sociology Technoscience Theology Womanist Asian Feminism portal Related subjects Ecofeminism Feminist method Hegemonic masculinity Women's history Women's studies Feminist theorists Elizabeth Anderson Karen Barad Simone de Beauvoir Wendy Brown Nancy Bauer Judith Butler Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw Hélène Cixous Alice Crary Andrea Dworkin Cynthia Enloe Martha Fineman Nancy Fraser Germaine Greer Donna Haraway Sandra Harding Patricia Hill Collins bell hooks Luce Irigaray Julia Kristeva Catharine MacKinnon Martha Nussbaum Val Plumwood Diana E. 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