Aesthetics of Anaesthetics: Western Postmodern Attitude and Japanese Wabi-Sabi (侘寂)

Year 2020, Volume: 19 Issue: 2, 665 - 696, 15.09.2020

Engin Yurt Sıla Burcu Başarır

https://doi.org/10.20981/kaygi.792651

Cited By: 2

Abstract

In Japanese aesthetics, there is a traditionally embraced concept named Wabi-sabi (侘寂) which cherishes -in a narrow sense- the beauty that springs from the imperfection or impermanence. At first sight, this understanding -when it is considered comparatively within traditional Western theories of aesthetics- does not find any concrete corresponding western element for itself (even though the theme of “the beauty in the flaw” is a well-known idea in Western literature and philosophy), because of the dominant aesthetic values towards Greek ideals of perfection and symmetry’s beauty within modern Western art. But, especially with the negative approach towards the concept of symmetry in the beginning of modernism within architecture and positive opinions about the concept of Anaesthetics (or un-aesthetics) within postmodern understanding of art, there might be something in western aesthetical theories which can be read in a similarity with Wabi-sabi. Western aesthetical themes like “beauty in the asymmetry”, “aesthetic of the Anaesthetic one”, “aesthetic of decay”, “aesthetic of ruins” and “anaesthetically appealing” might have a possibility of a comparative reading with Wabi-sabi. Even though it is not explicitly expressed, some opinions in postmodern attitude might provide a philosophical ground for this comparative reading. With the help of some Japanese terms like Shibusa (渋さ), Kintsugi (金継ぎ), Mono no aware (物の哀れ), this paper aims to search and to explain resemblances, differences and interconnections (if there are any) between idea of wabi-sabi and some western postmodern theories of anaesthetics.

Keywords

Aesthetics, Anaesthetics, Art, Japanese, Postmodern, Wabi-sabi

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