Sanna Lehtinen Aesthetics
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View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Helsingin yliopiston digitaalinen arkisto EXCURSIONS INTO EVERYDAY SPACES Mapping Aesthetic Potentiality of Urban Environments through Preaesthetic Sensitivities Sanna Lehtinen Aesthetics Department of Philosophy, History, Culture, and Art Studies University of Helsinki, Finland EXCURSIONS INTO EVERYDAY SPACES Mapping Aesthetic Potentiality of Urban Environments through Preaesthetic Sensitivities Sanna Lehtinen Aesthetics Department of Philosophy, History, Culture, and Art Studies University of Helsinki, Finland Excursions into Everyday Spaces Mapping Aesthetic Potentiality of Urban Environments through Preaesthetic Sensitivities Sanna Lehtinen Academic dissertation to be publicly discussed, by due permission of the Faculty of Arts at the University of Helsinki in auditorium XIV (Main Building, Unioninkatu 34), on the 13th of November, 2015 at 12 o’clock. Supervised by Professor Arto Haapala Faculty of Arts University of Helsinki Reviewed by Professor Andrew Ballantyne School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Newcastle University and Univ.-Doz. DDr. Mădălina Diaconu Institute of Philosophy University of Vienna Discussed with Professor Andrew Ballantyne School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Newcastle University ______________________________ © 2015 Sanna Lehtinen ISBN 978-951-51-1553-9 (paperback) ISBN 978-951-51-1554-6 (PDF) http://ethesis.helsinki.fi Graphic design by Janne Lehtinen Tammerprint, Tampere 2015 Abstract This study examines the complex relation between spatial experience and aesthetic experience. It is argued that spatial experience specifically in the context of everyday spaces makes it possible to experience them aesthetically as well. A wide selection of research ranging from environmental and philosophical aesthetics to architectural theory, psychology, human geography, and other relevant disciplines is employed in order to achieve a more detailed picture of how spatial experience is formed in the first place. This experience is described mainly in terms of phenomenology but is then related to other ways of understanding experiences and their prerequisites. Different notions of space and spatiality and a more comprehensive articula- tion of the relation of perception to spatial experience, sensory perception, and how senses contribute to spatial experience are in the focus of attention at the beginning of the study. Different experiential layers that can be distinguished within the space which is closest experienced are explored. Interaction with environment is discussed and the notion of preaesthetic is presented to clarify the relation between the two different types of experiences. Following this, the notion of preaesthetic is studied against eminent notions such as aesthetic attitude and aesthetic engagement that show elements that have traditionally been considered to either lead to or define aesthetic experiences. This study shows that the effect that spatial experience has on revealing aes- thetic potentialities in everyday environments is far more complicated than has previously been understood. Due to its contingent qualities, spatial experience sometimes leads to “failed” aesthetic experiences even in situations where there is obvious aesthetic potentiality. Even though there are some overlapping qualities in spatial and aesthetic experiences, they cannot thus be equated, as has more or less been done in different branches studying the topics of art and architectural experiences, for example. In the final part of the study, some possible directions for future research are pointed out and the application possibilities of these new developments in aesthetic theory are presented by short case studies, in which a closer look is taken into a chosen set of urban everyday spaces. vii Acknowledgments Now, only in retrospect, is it possible to see that the starting point of this journey can be traced back 15 years to the moment when I took the train one last time to Helsinki Central railway station. That was when I started both my studies in aesthetics and a relationship with the city as its inhabitant. The urban setting morphed into the sphere of my everyday, a spatio-temporal continuation of lived moments interwoven into a web of memories and future experiences in-the-making. In many ways, all this is a reminder that there is no escaping one’s past – the only choice is to let it return in different patterns within opportunities that life offers plenty of. My deep gratitude goes to my supervisor Prof. Arto Haapala for believing in me and my project, and for helping me to find ways to make things work. His gentle but determined style of supervising has left enough room for me to find my own voice and style. This I believe to be crucial for someone immersing oneself in the study of aesthetics. I wish to thank my fellow researchers at the University of Helsinki with whom I have shared many memorable moments in different phases of this process: Dr. Hanne Appelqvist, Prof. Kaisa Broner-Bauer, Petteri Enroth, Dr. Saara Hacklin, Dr. Martta Heikkilä, Ari Korhonen, Petteri Kummala, Lecturer Leena Laiho, Veera Launis, Tarja Rannisto, Jani Vanhala, and Dr. Janne Vanhanen. Special thanks go, of course, to Dr. Kalle Puolakka for being always first and foremost a friend with whom I have had the pleasure of sharing adventures in the academic world ever since entering the university. My heartfelt thanks go to Dr. Juha-Pekka Liljander and Anja Kuhalampi from the Lahti branch of University of Helsinki for being reliable supporters of my project and enabling its realisation. Many thanks for collegial support to my fellow researchers during the Lahti years: Dr. Riikka Puhakka, Anu-Liisa Rönkä, Dr. Karoliina Ojanen, and Anna Kouhia. I wish to thank the whole former “Luovis” team for having provided an environment bubbling with positive energy positivity. I am also grateful to Prof. Harri Veivo for support in the initial phases of my path towards a Ph.D. Later on, Docent and Lecturer Oiva Kuisma and Docent viii and Lecturer Max Ryynänen have both been very encouraging, and I have had the pleasure of their company on many of my conference travels. I also very much appreciate the advice and support given by Prof. Pauline von Bonsdorff, Prof. Sirpa Tani, and Prof. P. T. Karjalainen on different occasions. I wish to extend my gratitude to my old workplace, Amos Anderson Art Museum, and its Director Kai Kartio together with many former colleagues working there. I worked there as an undergraduate and when initially drafting this research project. The particular space of the old museum premises is where many of my thoughts regarding spatial experience started to formulate. Special thanks to my fellow Amos colleague and art historian Oscar Ortiz-Nieminen for kindly sharing his extensive knowledge on church architecture. Aesthetics is a small discipline in Finland, but internationally it collects together a large and fascinating group of people doing research on different branches of the field. From the beginning of my career, I have been fortunate enough to travel and meet many wise and wonderful colleagues to share experiences with. Thank you for your support, advice, and friendship: Dr. Luiza Cent, Dr. Malgosia Trzeciak, Dr. Ana Rita Ferreira, and Dr. Angela Kun. My Nordic colleagues hold a special place in my heart; thank you especially Dr. Anna-Lena Carlsson and Dr. Brit Strandhagen, together with many others from the Nordic Society of Aesthetics. I also wish to use the opportunity to thank Prof. Bente Larsen and participants of her seminar in Paris for including me in their delightful company at the very final stages of writing the manuscript. I benefited especially from Vendela Grundell and Trude Talette Simonsen’s close reading and insightful comments on the last chapter of this book. Thank you also to Dr. Matthew Pelowski and Dr. Luise Reitstätter for kindly sharing their research results. I am also in gratitude to Prof. Arnold Berleant, Prof. Allen Carlson, Prof. Yrjö Sepänmaa, and Prof. Cheng Xiangzhan for their support and advice at different phases of my PhD studies. I feel honoured to have had the opportunity to make acquaintance with so many world-renowned scholars in World Congresses (2010 Beijing and 2013 Krakow) and wish to thank the International Association of Aesthetics for choosing me as one of the receivers of the Young Scholar Award in 2013. ix My pre-examiners, Prof. Andrew Ballantyne and DDr. Mădălina Diaconu, made numerous useful comments to the manuscript of which I am most grateful and have made according changes to my best capacity. I wish to thank Prof. Michael Lucas for helping me to clarify some architectural definitions and for pointing out some good examples of the use of different kinds of spaces. Thank you also to Dr. Mark Shackleton for the English revision of the manuscript. Many thanks go to Galerie Forsblom, Ihme Contemporary Art Festival, and Raumlabor Berlin for giving me a permission to use their photos. This work was started with the financial support from Finnish Cultural Foundation and University of Helsinki Funds. Most of the net time of 4 years and 4 months of my research has been done at the International Institute of Applied Aesthetics during the time when it belonged to the now defunct Lahti Unit of Palmenia Centre for Continuing Education of the University of Helsinki. The IIAA with its roots firmly in environmental aesthetics has provided me with a deep sense of belonging, and I am happy that the story of my PhD is now a part of its history as well. Last but not least, it has been crucial to the development of my thought to test many of the ideas presented here in international conferences: these travels have been funded by travel grants of the Chancellor of University of Helsinki, Cultural Ministry of Spain, and Centre franco‐norvégien en sciences sociales et humaines (Paris). This work was realised with unwavering support of friends and family, and for that I am forever grateful; thank you especially Karoliina, Johanna, Terhi, Sanna & families.