Part 1: The role of aesthetics in automotive design
A series that will explore the role of aesthetics in car design.
Aesthetics, as a term, denotes our response to an object through the senses. Such a response can range from something that is aesthetically ‘pleasing’, resulting in a fondness to the object, to something that is aesthetically ‘displeasing’, in which an unpleasant reaction is associated with the object. The way that a viewer determines their opinion on the aesthetics of an object is a result of the combined stimulation of the senses (sight, sound, touch, taste and smell) and human emotions. When it’s about cars, there is something special and deep about the role aesthetics plays.
Frank Hinder: Drawing, Frank Gehry:Disney Concert Hall, BMW: X-Coupe Concept
Nearly all man made objects have been designed. Some have been designed to a degree with either or both, a function and/or a form. Quite often, it is said that good design has a good balance of form and function, even so, it could be said to be an ‘ignorant’ view upon design and engineering. If objects that are more heavily based on either form or function the other is ignored. Vehicles and transportation are examples of where form and function are used to stimulate senses and emotion to create a viewers opinion on aesthetic values.
Question: How do these images make you feel individually and as a collective?
References:
Stoller, P. “The Taste of Ethnographic Things”, University of Pennsylvania Press, (1989)
Just as an aside, I guess you can say that through government stupidity and corruption and the monotony and dumbing down process of contemporary media we’ve squandered the chance to live in a truly golden age of art, beauty and humanity. Where instead of wasting trillions on war, destruction and consumer brainwashing we could have afforded to design and construct a physical reality where Aesthetics was the dominant driving force behind everything. Alas, that’s the exception rather than the rule of our globalized and Walmartized society.
Personally I like the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao better than the Disney Concert Hall, Picasso better then Hinder and as an expression of true automotive beauty the first Lexus SC400, within the context of it’s time of course.
Like everything; education, ability to discern right from wrong, civility, etc, I believe that contemporary culture will eventually become so undiscerning that Aesthetic neuro-receptors will disappear or or Aesthetic appreciation of anything be made illegal. Because anything that sparks creativity or imagination or inspires the soul is ultimately perceived as a threat by the ruling class.
Thanks for your comment Dave. You put forward some very interesting ideas and concepts! There is a part of me that wants to see an ‘alternative’ reality that explores these ideas… At the same time, its a scary thought of the future!
I once had the idea for a high level government commission called “The Commission For The Re-structing of Human Reality”. In fact we have the technology, financial means (at least we had) and visionary artists and business people to accomplish this.
But in a lowest common denominator society where a Caesar Salad has a higher IQ then 25% of the population a decision was made to sacrifice the highest ideals for iPads, Audi TT’s and Herman Miller chairs. What can you say about that thought process? Typically human?
Anyhow, I guess the the good news is that even the future will come to a close at some point. In the mean time there are still a few people around that can inspire awe and emotion through their work.
I’d love too see an interview with Peter Schreyer. I wonder what his creations would look like if function followed form.