How is beauty constructed and defined? Who determines meanings of beauty? What are the historical standards of beauty and the consequences of their application? And what are the relevance and impact of how we think about beauty?

These were some of the questions explored by researchers, scholars, and creative practitioners from Iowa State University and peer institutions during a symposium held February 15–17 on the Iowa State campus.

The symposium, titled “Beauty Investigated: Dilemmas, Projects, and Promises,” took place in the College of Design’s Kocimski Auditorium (Room 101), Gallery 181, and the Launch Pad (Room 4250) at the Student Innovation Center. An accompanying exhibition was on view through Feb. 22 in Gallery 181.

Organized by art and visual culture professor Ingrid Lilligren and assistant professor Johnny DiBlasi, and supported by funding from the ISU Center for Excellence in the Arts and Humanities, Department of Art and Visual Culture, Department of Architecture, Robert Allen Wright Endowed Chair Fund (Paul Canfield), and the College of Design, the symposium focused on the interdisciplinary aspects of aesthetics. It spotlighted the questions and challenges that arise from culturally constructed principles of beauty:

  • How are these principles taught as behaviors learned through society?
  • Where does the intrinsic reaction to beauty come from?
  • How do we experience and derive enjoyment from something deemed beautiful?
  • How is consensus about beauty formed?
  • Who determines beauty standards, and who benefits from them? Who is included or excluded?

“This research is at the forefront of fields such as aesthetics, visual arts, creative artificial intelligence, and generative art systems,” Lilligren said. “This symposium brought together researchers and creative practitioners working within these themes and disciplines. We were pleased to draw attention to these areas of innovation and the arts and invited the entire Iowa State community to participate.”

Symposium Schedule

Thursday, February 15

  • 5–6 p.m.: Introduction and keynote panel overview (Kocimski Auditorium, Room 101)
  • 6:15–7:30 p.m.: Exhibition reception (Gallery 181)
  • 6:15 p.m.: Debra Marquart reading
  • 7 p.m.: Ritwik Banerji performance

Friday, February 16

  • 9 a.m.–noon: Morning sessions (4250 SICTR)
  • “Beauty and Community” (Drinkwater, Kyle, Lilligren, Morgan)
  • “Beauty and Social Justice” (Iancu, Marquart, Samuelson)
  • Noon–1:15 p.m.: Lunch break
  • 1:15–4:15 p.m.: Afternoon sessions (4250 SICTR)
  • “Beauty and Material Culture” (Canfield, Chikerinets, Neubauer, Stein)
  • “Beauty and Computation” (Banerji, Bello, Castellanos, DiBlasi, Sanders)
  • 5:45–7:15 p.m.: Dinner break

Saturday, February 17

  • 9:30–11 a.m.: Roundtable conversation (4250 SICTR)
  • 11:15 a.m.–noon: Conclusions

Iowa State University Presenters

  • Ritwik Banerji
  • Paul Canfield
  • Roman Chikerinets
  • Johnny DiBlasi
  • Jennifer Drinkwater
  • Raluca Iancu
  • Sarah R. Kyle
  • Ingrid Lilligren
  • Debra Marquart
  • Emily K. Morgan
  • Daniel Neubauer
  • Scott Samuelson
  • Eulanda Sanders

Guest Presenters

  • Bello Bello
  • Carlos Castellanos
  • Tom Rice
  • Joshua G. Stein