Why Beauty Matters Analysis

Decent Essays
In the documentary “Why Beauty Matters – Por que a beleza important", Robert Scruton argues that modern art has changed from being a symbol of beauty to being anything that someone says is art. Based on the accounts of Robert Scruton in the documentary film, art is a matter of taste rather than intrinsic meaning. Throughout the documentary, Robert Scruton criticizes how contemporary art has lost its importance in beauty and instead promoted what was in the 18th century considered “ugly” (Scruton, 2009). Furthermore, Robert Scruton further reveals how contemporary art uses poverty, deception of modernist and post-modernist pessimism, dehumanization nihilism and reductionism as a form of representation of the modern society. In the documentary, …show more content…
In his perception of the modern architecture, Robert Scruton sees the physical surroundings as becoming ugly in the name of art. Robert further focuses on modern language, music and people’s behavior where he expresses them as self-centered, ugly and offensive. WHY BEAUTY MATTERS – FILM REVIEW
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Although the majority of the ideas and analysis done by Robert Scruton in the documentary is quite negative, he also appreciates the beauty that nature has provided humanity and how it makes every day a perfect day. He acknowledges that beauty can be extracted from ugly sculptures and other artistic work but fails to approve that the contemporary art evident today provides evidence of this theory. For example, in the documentary, Robert Scruton disapproves and further challenges Tracey Emin’s bed of art (Scruton, 2009). Robert simply classified Tracey Emin's bed as a simply unmade bed and not a demonstration of art. On the other hand, Tracey Emin justifies her bed work as a piece of art because she said so.
Why beauty matters in modern art
Based on the analysis of Robert Scruton’s arguments on modern art and architecture, there is no doubt that he is an intelligent philosopher on art. Majority of what Robert
…show more content…
Therefore, the central focus on beauty in modern art can change people's perception of contemporary art and what is important.
Conclusion
Although Robert Scruton gives an accurate understanding of contemporary art, the majority of the ideas and analysis done throughout the documentary are simply his opinion.
Despite artistically talking about a classical composer that is rare in the contemporary art history and also being able to play the classical composer's work on a piano, Robert Scruton simply used his artistic power to reinforce his prejudice in the modern art. Therefore, when Robert associate modern art to ugliness, he is simply referring to artistic work that is not up to his taste.
Furthermore, although Robert Scruton accurately analysis and criticizes modern art such as the
Chapman brothers sculpture and some derelict postwar buildings and Tracey Emin’s bed, Robert does not offer an appropriate replacement to the “ugly” modern art that is evident in

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