Soma and Symbol: The Bridging Function of Style in Design History and Culture

Steven Leuthold

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Chapter 4 Soma and Symbol: The Bridging Function of Style in Design History and Culture

In: Somaesthetics and Design Culture

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Steven Leuthold

Steven Leuthold
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Type:: Chapter

Pages:: 107–124

DOI:: https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004536654_006

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When focusing on somaesthetics and design cultures, we can assign the metaphor of distinct ‘levels’ of experience to soma and design culture. One potential way to bridge these levels is to re-introduce the concept of style into historical understanding and teaching. My interest is in how the relationship between soma and culture informs historical understanding, and, therefore, historical pedagogy, especially the teaching of design history to practitioners. But, given the controversy swirling around style in the last few decades, the concept must be carefully examined to establish its methodological relevance.+++Style in design proceeds from the capacity to perceive and create form. Following from recent research in psychological aesthetics, I discuss the embodied nature of fundamental emotions – desire, pleasure, happiness, sadness – and our capacity to empathize with those emotions though the perception of form. Style emerges from habituated responses that have emotional import. But, style analysis also implies a critical study of codes, theories, and values that is conscious; it involves processes of habituation and critical reflection. Style, therefore, is the somatic basis of intentionality (and a springboard for engaging the content of a work). This chapter reconsiders the concept of style in early modern German art historical methodology to investigate its methodological usefulness in the present and presents recent psychological research on novelty-seeking that is related to individuals’ openness to style change.

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Somaesthetics and Design Culture

Series: Studies in Somaesthetics, Volume: 6

E-Book ISBN:: 9789004536654

Publisher:: Brill

Print Publication Date:: 28 Mar 2023

Subjects
- Art History
  - Art Theory
- Philosophy
  - Aesthetics & Cultural Theory
  - 19th & 20th Century Philosophy

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Part 1 Studies on Limitations

Part 2 Bodies, Senses, and Power

Part 3 Transformative Experiences

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Chapter 4 Soma and Symbol: The Bridging Function of Style in Design History and Culture

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Somaesthetics and Design Culture

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