This week's work was to read and respond to an article addressing the difference between aesthetics and function. The function and operation of computers is objective, while aesthetics is subjective- dependent on the user and their experience/preferences. Semiotics is a theory of signs and signals: connecting the two and acting as a translator. The author defines this interaction as the interface. GUI are made to create an ease of access for humans. As the typical user doesn’t understand the science behind the visual, a certain amount of knowledge is lost.

I’ve noticed this trend in technology, even if I didn’t understand the terms behind it. A lot of technology has become universal; for easier access, lower production costs, for ‘better’ aesthetics. However, in my opinion, this monopolization of technology creates a discrepancy in art and aesthetics. Consoles and phones have the same casing, proprietary software have identical patterns, and design is becoming increasingly minimalist and monochromatic. I think the author was right to quote Wiesing, calling for aesthetic computing to rely on “quality instead of quantity, style instead of truth”. Aesthetic computing should focus on expanding the range of human aesthetic that a computer can translate.

The author draws a very clear line between aesthetics and art; that art is the sign, and aesthetic is the subjective and emotional response we have to it. While he uses pop culture as an example of art that’s aesthetic heavy, and so reaches a bigger audience, I related it to my own work and muses. Vincent van Gogh was my first introduction to the fine art world. I mimic his techniques, because to me, the impressionist style evokes a response. Rather than just looking at a painted scene, I’m imagining how it felt to stand there and take it in. From there I started exploring ‘kitsch’ and graffiti, mixed media projects that stood out and made me pay attention to the feeling of the message, not the words themselves.