Reflection #5

            In the article “Chairs, Cars, and Bridges” Robin Vande Zande discusses how everyday objects can be used to teach aesthetics to students in grades K-12. She suggests that because most manmade objects we encounter were designed for a specific use and appearance, based upon what our society appreciates and values, they can be used to study the components of aesthetics. Zande says that “Design function and the integration of aesthetic factors enrich life; they support the values of a community or and individual by making tangible examples of ideas and beliefs of the community or individual.” In other words, by teaching about aesthetics in our daily lives, we can also teach students about what is valued by our society and community, as well as ourselves. Could we use the principles of aesthetics to study objects from other times or cultures to learn about what was valued in societis besides our own? I think that this would be a great way to teach students about aesthetics, because it allows students to understand the importance of design, and to relate it to their own experience and the things that surround them. Students could later use these techniques of analyzing objects that surround them and apply these techniques to works of art in order to better understand artistic expression.  By studying artistic expression, can we help our student learn to better express their own identity and recognize the identities of others?

            Zande mentions the “Seven Components of Design” in her article. She says these are the components that we should look at to evaluate the aesthetics of a certain object. I have four wooden folding chairs in my apartment, for example, which can be examined using these components. The use is “How the designed item works when used as a tool, communication, symbol, or a combination of these.” The use for my chairs is to provide a comfortable place to sit while eating at a table. The method is “the techniques, tools, materials, and processes needed to make a product.” My chairs are made of wood, and are varnished with a clear coat, and held together with screws. The wood needs to be cut, assembled, and varnished in a way that makes them stable and comfortable. The need is “What is required to survive, to express identity, or to reach a goal.” A chair needs to be durable and long lasting, as well as attractive to look at. The hard wood makes the chair able to survive, and the simple slats on the back and seat allow it to express its identity, but also be simple enough that it will not go out of style. My chairs also need to be able to fold, so that they do not take up a lot of room in my small apartment. The standards are “The expectations a culture has for a product.” Our culture expects that a chair is comfortable, will support the individuals back while sitting, and will not break easily. My chairs have a back that is slightly curved, which makes them comfortable and allows back support. They also have legs that are slanted slightly, to make them stronger. The association is the “Deep-seated drives that are part of being a person and their reactions that reveal these drives.” The wooden material of my chairs is associated with nature, while the upright shape is associated with the upright posture of a human being. The Milieu is “A reflection of the times and conditions from which the design emerged.” My chairs are economical, because they can be folded and put away. This may be a reflection of the decrease in families that eat together, or a decrease in the size of many homes. The aesthetics are “The use of shapes and colors that create and object that moves us, delights us, enhances life, and/or gives meaning.” The rounded corners and back of my chairs make them pleasing too look at, as does the symmetrical balance, and the shining varnish.