Approaching Aisthetics Or: Installation Art and Environmental Aesthetics as Investigative Activity

Abstract

The article discusses installation art and its potential contribution to a transdisciplinary research practice, in which not only artistic, but also aesthetic theoretical approaches could play a central role. However, as the article shows, this firstly requires a change in perspective concerning the way we approach art. Secondly, it entails changes to a common understanding of aesthetic theory and, thereby, philosophy. A term of central significance in this context is the notion of aisthesis. The article will illustrate these thoughts through the examples of Bruce Nauman, Ilya Kabakov, and Arnold Berleant.

Keywords

• aisthesis/aisthetics
• installation art
• built environments
• environmental aesthetics
• philosophy