The Promise, the Challenge, of Everyday Aesthetics

Abstract

This paper provides a critical assessment of two diverse methodological approaches in the contemporary movement of Everyday Aesthetics.  The “weak formulation” asserts that ordinary objects are best understood on the model of fine art.  I counter this claim with a distinction between aesthetic and artistic value.  The “strong formulation” develops an ethical-existential theory of the everyday as one of belonging and familiarity which nevertheless causes us to lose what is uniquely aesthetic about our ordinary lives.  I strive to find a middle ground that contextualizes the aesthetic within human activities, concerns and judgements.