Aesthetical

Aesthetical

Sign in Subscribe

Aesthetical Action: A Madeline Moment

Aesthetical Action: A Madeline Moment

She sent out for one of those short, plump little cakes called ‘petites madelines’ which looked as though they had been molded in the scallop of a pilgrim’s shell. And soon, mechanically weary after a dull day with a prospect of a depressing morrow, I carried to my lips

I worry about things... A lot

I worry about things... A lot

When I say things, I mean literally things: I worry about the way a stack of books sits in a corner. I worry about whether a knife should rest on the edge of a plate. I worry about one orange in a bowl. This does not make me neurotic or

Aesthetical Action: The Bling Thing

Aesthetical Action: The Bling Thing

There are many purportedly refined objects that aim at elegance but succumb to bad taste, overburdened with needless decoration and meaningless frivolity. With these works, utility becomes a secondary consideration, verging on the enfeebled and morally corrupt. -Soetsu Yanagi Over the last 100 years, there has been a tendency to

What Befits a King: The Moral Aesthetics of Gold

What Befits a King: The Moral Aesthetics of Gold

But that’s the thing about gold. The human desire for its sparkle has never been a question of need, only want. -Julia Carrie Wong I’ve been thinking a lot about gold recently, and it’s not my fault. The Trump administration has caused untold political upheaval, and there’