Should Art be Beautiul?

People respond emotionally and intellectually to visual images, often recognizing characteristics that make a something seem beautiful without even thinking about it. Philosophers call the reaction to an appealing quality an aesthetic response. Aesthetic responses may vary from person to person, and individuals often have different ideas about what makes an artwork beautiful. Some people respond to certain subjects because they associate them with pleasure. Others may find a particular combination of lines, colors, and shapes appealing without understanding the meaning of the artwork.

In the 1700s and 1800s, European philosophers and art schools (called academies) developed formulas to analyze and create beautiful works of art. Understanding compositional elements such as balance, unity, rhythm, and harmony became a formula to guide artists as they created works. By following these rules, they could learn to produce beautiful artworks that many so-called untrained artists could not.

Judged by these traditional standards, many contemporary artworks would not be described as beautiful or pleasurable. Then why are they considered art? Contemporary artists often want viewers to think about art in a different way, beyond the traditional rules of beauty. For many, it is more important that the works are interesting, thought-provoking, and challenging.

From the Walker Art Center's website "So, Why is this Art?" http://schools.walkerart.org/swita/switaact2.html