The Aesthetics of Modern Life: Simmel's Interpretation

Examination of Georg Simmel's sociological approach to the analysis of aesthetics reveals the philosophical baseline on which he constructed his aesthetics of modern life. It is pointed out that Simmel identified an affinity between the aethetic realm & social interaction. Drawing on the Kantian theory of art, Simmel argued that money transactions (ie, capitalism) are susceptible to aesthetic judgment because they possess the requisite aesthetic dimension of symmetry. For Simmel, the aesthetics of modern life are best captured in the tension between form & style, between art & applied art. The products of applied art appeal to a plurality of people, while a work of art is an end in itself & an expression of the artist's individuality. Simmel lamented the proliferation of applied art forms & the trend in societies toward stylization; in these respects he presaged the advent of postmodern culture. 42 References. W. Howard