The relationship between the two is that aesthetic experience runs through artistic activities, and artistic activities are the symbolization of aesthetic experience. In the artistic creation activities, the way of existence of art works and the art reception process, every link is related to aesthetic experience.
1. Artistic Creation and Aesthetic Experience
Aesthetic experience is not only the starting point of artistic creation activities, but also the creative motivation factor that runs through it. Art creation is specifically divided into three main links that are interrelated and gradually advanced: the development stage, conception stage and materialization stage of artistic creation.
First, aesthetic experience is the fundamental driving force for the development of art. The flourishing stage of artistic creation refers to the rise of the artistic subject's desire to create and the activation of creative passion. The excitement of art seems to be a kind of desire and passion that suddenly descends on the subject, but it is not the function of some mysterious force, but the spiritual explosion effect caused by the brewing of past and present aesthetic experiences. Zhong Rong has a very beautiful passage that illustrates the desire and passion for poetry creation: "If it is the spring breeze, the spring birds, the autumn moon and the cicadas, the summer clouds and the rain, the winter moon and the cold, these are the poems that reflect the four seasons. Posted by Jia Hui Thinking of relatives, leaving the group to write poems to express resentment. As for the Chu ministers who left the country, the Han concubines resigned from the palace; or their bones were scattered across the fields, and their souls were driven away; There may be someone who wears a pendant and goes out to court and forgets to return; a woman may be favored by a moth and look forward to conquering the country again; all kinds of things touch the soul, how can one express his meaning if he doesn’t write a poem, and how can he express his feelings if he doesn’t sing a long song? "("Poetry Preface") This is the accumulation and brewing of rich painful experiences and deep awareness of sorrow, which activates the desire and passion for poetry creation.
Second, aesthetic experience is the internal logic of artistic conception. Artistic conception is a process in which the subject aesthetically transforms and organizes sensory materials through a variety of psychological activities centered on emotion on the basis of rich experience, and turns objective objects into aesthetic images. Traveling through all kinds of life, tasting all the bitter, spicy, sour and sweet, just like what Tolstoy said, "soak three times in clear water, bathe three times in blood water, and boil three times in alkaline water" ("The Course of Suffering") ”, epigraph of the second volume), this is the rich experience of a profound writer. It can be seen that the inner logic of artistic conception is aesthetic experience.
Third, aesthetic experience is the ultimate basis for the materialization of art. Art materialization means that the artistic subject creatively transforms the aesthetic experience in the soul into a vivid and perceptible artistic image. If the impression of the objectively existing landscape left in the perceptual activity is the "landscape in the eyes", and the aesthetic image of the landscape conceived in the artist's mind is the "landscape in the heart", then, through the artist's creative symbolic practice and the use of superb technology, the landscape is presented Landscape is "landscape in painting". The arduous and joyful labor of artists is to turn rich life experiences into vivid and perceptible artistic images. The great poet Qu Yuan encountered too much resistance in life, experienced too much suffering, and suffered too heavy a blow. In his heart, there was a fierce battle between the ignorance of loyalty to the emperor and the desire to promote oneself. And his poems express the extraordinary suffering in his life and the excessive tension in his soul. Therefore, aesthetic experience is the ultimate basis for the materialization of art.
In short, from the three main links of artistic development, conception and materialization, aesthetic experience runs through artistic creation as the driving force, logic and basis.
2. The existence mode and aesthetic experience of artistic works
Art works are composed of three basic levels: form, image and connotation. Aesthetic experience runs through all levels, giving this symbol The system comes to life.
First, aesthetic experience is the structural power of form. In art, it is aesthetic experience that turns these real natural forms into a dynamic tectonic force. This structural effect is reflected in two aspects. First of all, the unity of aesthetic perception and the form of the object, the formation of perception is also the formation of form. Secondly, aesthetic emotion gives impetus to the form of the object, and the form of the object becomes the form of emotion. Therefore, aesthetic experience is the tectonic force of form.
Second, aesthetic experience is the life of image. Artistic image is the embodiment of aesthetic image in the form of material symbols. Aesthetic images are illusions formed in aesthetic experience and do not yet have visible perceptual forms. There are two types of aesthetic images. One is the aesthetic image that focuses on reproducing things, and the other is the aesthetic image that focuses on expressing emotions. Aesthetic images that focus on reproduction are the product of external experience activities, such as the behaviors and events described in novels, and the natural scenes and character appearances depicted in paintings. Aesthetic images that focus on expression are the product of inner experience, such as the meaning conveyed in poetic images, the flowing charm in pictures, and the overflowing emotions in music. No matter what these meanings, charms and emotions are, they must be condensed in sensible forms. It is sensible forms that give the intangible spirit, charm, etc. a flesh-and-blood form. In short, it is aesthetic experience that gives life to the image.
Third, aesthetic experience is the essence of meaning. Artistic connotation is the meaning contained in artistic forms and images. The reason why art is an organic whole with a personal soul is because it has inherent meaning. Cao Pi's essay said that "writing is dominated by Qi"; Wang Euzhi's discussion of poetry said that "the ink Qi shoots through the four expressions are infinite, and its meaning is everywhere without words"; Gao Rifu said in his painting that "there is also spiritual energy traveling in the air". All these are nothing more than emphasizing that art contains profound and far-reaching connotations. This meaning is essentially an aesthetic experience. Therefore, aesthetic experience is the essence of artistic meaning.
In short, from the three main levels of existence of the form, image and connotation of the artistic work, aesthetic experience is the life and soul of the artistic work.
3. Art acceptance and aesthetic experience
Art acceptance is the process of accepting and feeling art through aesthetic experience. It is the communication of information between the artist (author) and the audience (reader) and communication of experience. In this link of artistic activities, the aesthetic experience of the audience (reader) completes the art and realizes the value of art. The role of aesthetic experience in art acceptance is reflected in three aspects:
First, aesthetic attitude determines the true art recipient. The real recipient of art is the audience (reader) who interprets the work of art with an aesthetic attitude, observes the art form attentively, and appreciates the artistic connotation. Only audiences (readers) who concentrate on aesthetic experience can be called true art recipients. They feel art in aesthetic experience and have dialogues and exchanges with artists.
Second, aesthetic perception is the embodiment of artistic meaning. As we said above, artistic connotation is the meaning contained in the art form, that is, the deep aesthetic experience of the artist. It is hazy and erratic, even mysterious, and can only be understood but cannot be expressed in words. These extremely uncertain meanings are precisely the value of works of art. The addition of the audience's (reader's) aesthetic perception makes the uncertain meaning concrete. In the audience's (reader's) aesthetic experience, the aesthetic perception turns the work of art into a vital image, thereby presenting its meaning.
Third, aesthetic identity is the realization of the main function of art. Aesthetic identification means putting oneself in the context of others in aesthetic experience to realize it. Watch "The Romance of the Three Kingdoms" and worry about the ancients, read "A Dream of Red Mansions" and shed tears for the tragic fate of a beauty, recite "Li Sao" and deeply feel the tragedy in the soul of the poet Qu Yuan, watch Chaplin's movies and be full of sympathy for the humble fate of the little people, These specific situations are aesthetic identifications. By situating oneself in the situation of others, one experiences oneself in others, enjoys oneself through other people's enjoyment, and mourns oneself through other people's sorrow. Aesthetic identification leads to two consequences: first, enriching the self with others, and second, transcending the self through others. Therefore, aesthetic identity realizes the main function of art.
From the three aspects of aesthetic attitude, aesthetic perception and aesthetic identity, aesthetic experience is implemented in the process of art acceptance, completing art and realizing the value of art.
Aesthetic experience is intrinsically related to art. Art, as a creative symbolic practice of human beings, is the formalization of aesthetic experience. From the perspective of artistic creation activities, the three main links of development, conception and materialization are inseparable from aesthetic experience. Aesthetic experience serves as the driving force, logic and basis throughout artistic creation; from the three main links of form, image and connotation of artistic works, From an existential level, aesthetic experience is the life and soul of a work of art; from the perspective of the art acceptance process, aesthetic experience is implemented in the art acceptance process, completing art and realizing the value of art.