Tuesday, March 1, 2011

The Perfection of Imperfection

In comparing “aesthetic of imperfection” and the “license of living in the present tense” I think it is important to define what “aesthetic of imperfection” means.  Aesthetic can mean pleasing in appearance, according to the Merriam Webster dictionary. 
So the “aesthetic of imperfection, is making imperfection look pleasing to others.  How does this relate to living in the present tense?  I would submit that there is a linkage between the two.  Living in the present tense we are not held bound by our past, or bound by what the future holds. 
Living in the present tense does influence the aesthetic of imperfection, by when you live in the present tense; the present tense is where you make mistakes, where you make imperfections.  When you live in the here and now, that is all you have, the present, so you accept the present and all that comes with it, including imperfections.  I imagine if you live in the here and now, not really accepting the past, or looking toward the future, you will embrace the moment for what it is worth, including the bad with the good.
The Beat generation believed in both of these principles or lived by these two concepts.  The two ideas are linked together in a complex and abstract sort of way.
Some believe that art is an act that strives for perfection, others believe that making mistakes in the process of creation more important than trying to be perfect.  I believe art should be striving for perfection, and have as little mistakes as possible.  Of course “perfection” is very subjective, and everything will have imperfections in this life, according to someone else.
When I think of the creation of art I think of my brother painting.  When he asks me about his own work in progress he’ll ask “how does it look?’’ or “Do you like it?” I make my judgment on how well it looks, and if there is any obvious mistakes.  I’m wanting the picture to look the best that it can, and get the closest to perfection.

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