Smartphonebook
Seeking
With links to 14 online data posters and 55 music videos. Based on a national representative survey about the way beauty
MO
is experienced in the UK.
DE
Beauty|UK
Demo version Try the many links hidden behind the QR codes and in the illustrations on the left pages. Open posters and music that reflect the beauty of the United Kingdom in text, image and sound. The full version of 'Seeking beauty | UK' contains 116 pages. Available in printed version (via Blurb) or as ebook for Android or Windows (Kobo Store).
© 2020
Project Beauty, Utrecht, Netherlands
Titel
Seeking beauty
Uitgave
Narcisstraat 5, 3551 EP
Utrecht, Netherlands
Subtititle UK Keywords
beauty, well-being, research, culture, United Kingdom
ISBN
978-94-92009-19-7 (print (Apple book) ebook) 978-94-92009-16-6
NUR 600 Issue 1
Concept & text Marius Hogendoorn Design
Text edits
Marius Hogendoorn, Frans Willem Pompe, Simon Hodges
Illustrations Opening : Int Schüssler, paintings
Ruth Davey (www.look-again.org) Chapters : Photography by Ruth Davey (www.look-again.org)
Appendix : Katja Wentz, wall hanging
(www.kirvani.com)
Cover Front : 1. Grassrootsgroundswell (cottage) 2. Alexandre Prevot (luxury car) 3. John Constable (painting) 4. Anna Leary (leaf) Back: 1. Rus (bikini) 2. Alison Benbow (children) 3. Byung Kyu Park (London Observatory) 4. Valakirka (praying hands) Spine Arkub (piano keyboard) ©
2020.
All
rights
reserved.
No
part
of
this
publication
may
be
recording
or
reproduced, stored in an automated file, or published, in any form or by
any
means,
electronic,
mechanical,
photocopying,
otherwise, without prior permission of the publisher. Despite all the
care taken compiling this book, the publisher and the author shall not
be liable for any damages resulting from any error in this publication.
O M
Seeking beauty
D
E
| in the United Kingdom |
Concept: Marius Hogendoorn Photography: Ruth Davey
Publication on the basis of
“Beauty is the battlefield where God and Satan contend with each other for the heart of man.� Fyodor Dostoyevsksi
Preface This booklet is the result of a study involving 1465 inhabitants from the United Kingdom. They answered questions about the wonderful but often complicated word 'beauty'. Questions are often more important than answers. With questions something begins and opens. An answer can only close. This is all the more so when it comes to the phenomenon of beauty because it is about the most personal subject that exists. What does it tell us when we know that 21% of the British population finds something that has already been used is better then something new? It is certainly informative, but what attitudes lie beneath the statistics? When it comes to beauty, statistical knowledge about "the average" British man or woman might be interesting for a few, but often no more than that. Beauty is about what touches us. Our attitudes to it therefore show our differences. It is precisely this diversity that is central to this book. From trains to trees and from birth to death: everything has its own beauty, it appears, according to "us".
A.
click and look
+
B.
click and read
+
C.
click and listen
On use
Here are some suggestions on what to do with the beauty in this book. •
You can answer some of the questions about beauty and discover its role in your life.
•
Look up the results of the UK survey in the appendix and see how you profile against the average UK citizen.
•
Discuss beauty issues raised by the questions in this book with your friends, getting to know each other better in the process.
•
Use the QR-codes displayed on selected pages. These give you access to data visuals and music that help tell the story of beauty.
"The Beauty Tree ' Composed of 179 images of the participants in the United Kingdom version of Project Beauty. They show their personal imagination of beauty.
1. Opening
1
2. Beauty
7
3. Experience
11
4. Danger
23
5. Man - Woman
33
6. Time
43
7. Happiness
53
8. Essence
61
9. Hope
67
10. Together
77
Appendix
79
1. Opening
1
2
On thinking Thinking happens by itself and is sometimes difficult to stop. We think of something, then of something else, then of something else and something else. Is this what we want? Do we want to endlessly solve the puzzles presented to us by our brain? Do we play enough with our thoughts? Do we positively choose, for example, something that we like to think about? Perhaps we could choose something that evaporates all other thoughts and makes our heads stand still? We could think of something beautiful, just by itself. At the risk of stating the obvious, but no less true for it, thinking of something beautiful makes you happy. It can also lead you to appreciate the beauty you already have. To dwell on what we see as beauty is giving time and attention to what is really important in our lives . Our answers to the questions hereafter offer us a mirror of what our lives are mostly about.
3
4
Organisation The questions in this booklet are for you to answer. They were also submitted to 1465 inhabitants of the United Kingdom. Their answers are processed in four ways: 1. The figures sketch the broad lines and offer numbers and percentages that tell something about "the state of beauty" in the United Kingdom. In the Appendix the exact responses are included. 2. The participants’ own words that are given in all disclosures to open questions. Here, the specific wins over the general. The key words are used in the illustrations in word clouds, the complete answers are contained in the symbols presented. A smartphone or tablet with scanning application and internet can open and expand these, using the QR codes. You can then see all the answers embedded in a cloud. 3. The images that were uploaded to say what words cannot tell. They are processed throughout the pages and in the 'Beauty Tree´ in which the contents is shown. 4. And finally: the sounds. The QR codes in the note symbols contain links to online clips. They give access to music fragments that participants considered as exceptional examples of beauty.
5
6
3. Experience
11
12
¶
To know and to know otherwise We know all about the beauty of science, but there is little we know about the science of beauty. Such a subject would be difficult. Science prefers well enclosed circles of knowledge. Perhaps beauty is slightly too boundless. We can of course delve into a piece of the pie. For example, art history talks about the history of artistic creations. Aesthetics allows the philosopher to think on the essence of art. Social sciences provide explanatory food for thought. Evolutionary psychology asks whether our brain is especially attracted to things that have to do with our survival and social psychology looks at the role of beauty in human interaction. For sociologists beauty is fascinating, especially when it comes to the social impact of the standards that people use for beautiful. And then we have the biology, and mathematics. And even the philosophy of science. Because is not knowledge itself also beautiful?
13
14
¶
What is the most beautiful thing you experienced last year?
16
Which two of the following forms of beauty comes closest to what you regard as the most important in your life? 1st 2nd choice o o beautiful clothes o o person / partner (e.g. a 'handsome' partner) o o person / partner (e.g. someone with a good character) o o house (e.g. beautiful things in your home) o o mechanical things (e.g. car) o o art o o mementos / memories (e.g. photos) o o symbols (e.g. small statue, precious stones or amulet) o o jewellery o o food or luxury foods o o music o o knowledge (such as studying or books) o o nature o o sport o o travel o o silence o o other, namely: ...
17
22
4. Danger
23
24
¶
Ideals We dream of what not yet is, of what may hopefully come. We dream of what we want to possess, experience or achieve, in every tone and colour. We dream of justice, and we dream about… beauty. Some dream together, others just for themselves. Some dream about the open road, others for a quiet fire. Beauty is good, isn’t it? Perhaps not always. Beauty can be difficult and even dangerous. Not all beauty leads to happiness. Some forms remain only a promise. A beautiful, often very seductive promise, agreed. But no more than that. "For the most beautiful” was written on the golden apple that the Greek goddess Eris threw in the hall where the wedding was celebrated to which she was not invited. Legend has it that the party almost came to an end by the riot between the other goddesses that this act caused. Because even the goddesses wanted to be still more beautiful. When it comes to beauty we balance between two poles: one where wonder slows our pace and one where the allure causes our blood to quicken. Wonder opens the moment, temptation narrows the future. Beauty’s power works both ways.
25
52
7. Happiness
53
54
Well being Beauty is often put on a pedestal. It is considered by many an indispensable resource for life. But very occasionally someone dares to do something to reduce her status in favour of an even higher good. Beauty is only a promise of happiness noted the French writer Stendhal, as he contemplated a futile love. Happiness has something beauty lacks: it can be had. Because if we're lucky, we realise it is within us. With beauty it is less simple. It may only be on the outside, or hung up on a wall. It can reside in a word, or a forest. Positive psychology says that happiness can be worked on. Beauty more or less overwhelms us. We can create it, true. But then suddenly we all work on it differently. One in love, another with a new bikini, another with a set of new rims for his car whilst another starts a quest for inner silence. Each in our own way heads towards that same promise. Unity in diversity in its optimum form.
55
56
If you own something beautiful, or when you are near to something beautiful, how do you feel? o o o o o o o o o o o
calm sad happy glad expectant greedy worried euphoric excited complete / acceptance other, namely: ................
Does beauty lead to happiness? o o o o
yes sometimes no don’t know
57
76
10. Together This book came about thanks to the co-operation of 1465 people. It was that many Britons that participated and answered the sometimes very personal questions which constitute the basis of the Beauty Project in the UK. With their diverse and often touching, contributions they created the unity of this book, a unity that paints a picture of what beauty can inspire. Altogether they made Seeking beauty | UK a unique project. For that 1465 x thanks.
77
78
Appendix
79
Facebook and the Facebook logo are registered trade marks of Facebook Inc.
What happens next? Project Beauty started around 2007 with a pilot in collaboration with a Dutch magazine. In 2010 the first national survey followed among the Dutch population. The next step was going to the UK and Ireland: here the project was conducted in 2012. Now, more then 10 years after the idea was born, people in seven countries with altogether over half a billion inhabitants have participated and told us how they feel about this wonderful but also sometimes a bit complicated word 'beauty'. And more countries are joining every year. The Facebook page of Project Beauty reports on a regular base about new steps. Also messages are posted about funny, whimsical and newsworthy affairs that beauty can bring about. Want to stay informed? The Facebook page is accessible via the QR code on the left page.
O
'Seeking your beauty': create your own book
M
"Seeking beauty | UK' is based on the answers of 1465 Brits. They completed the questionnaire and answered personal questions about their dealings with beauty. The online questionnaire of the Beauty project can still be completed. It is even possible to make your own personal book where your answers are included with colored markings. You can do this with one or two persons and order a unique version of this booklet: "Seeking your beauty | UK '.
E
You can create "Seeking your beauty | UK' for yourself, but also with a partner or close friend. Everyone's answers are then displayed with a different color marking so you can quickly and nicely gain insight into similarities and differences. What does your beauty look like? It is also possible to invite friends to explore their beauty and to give "Seeking your beauty | UK' as a present.
D
www.seekingyourbeauty.co.uk
In the serie ... Next to this UK version the Beauty Project has also been conducted in other countries or regions. At this moment the following books on how beauty is experienced and perceived are available or being prepared: • • • • •
Ireland Germany Austria Netherlands United States
Seeking beauty | IRL Auf der Suche nach Schönheit | DE Auf der Suche nach Schönheit | AT Op zoek naar schoonheid | NL Seeking beauty | USA
For the most recent overview of publications from the Beauty Project please visit: www.b-u-t.net/uk. Some of these issues are also available as ebook.
Thanks to: This publication has been produced with the generous support of: •
PanelBase, online research panels. www.panelbase.net
The questionnaire This publication is based on a selected number of questions from Project Beauty. The full questionnaire is available online: www.b-u-t.net/uk..
Comments and questions info@b-u-t.net
“Let beauty surprise you.” In memory of John O'Donohue. (Irish poet philospher)
Beauty, a puzzle. A stand-still, sit-down and take-your-time book. ‘Seeking beauty | UK’ is about the meaning of the difficult but powerful word 'beauty'. What is it about and what does it do to us? These and many other questions about this fascinating phenomenon are central to this book.
What are our own answers when it comes to the role of beauty in our lives? Who dares to start out on this quest? This book gives a series of challenging intersections, such as: "To what extent do you believe that you can influence the degree of beauty in your life?" and "Does beauty lead to happiness?". Our own answers to these and many other questions that are asked show how we live our life. Because that is what our own idea of beauty shows us: a mirror. 'Seeking beauty | UK' came about thanks to the cooperation of 1465 British men and women: their responses are included in this publication. They show how the UK deals with beauty.
Info: www.b-u-t.net. This publication was made possible by the generous support of PanelBase.net