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On ugliness.

George Hagman1

  • 1gahagman@optonline.net

The Psychoanalytic Quarterly
|October 23, 2003
PubMed
Summary

Ugliness arises from fantasies disrupting aesthetic sense, making sensory experiences feel repulsive. Psychoanalytic insights reveal ugliness as a universal phenomenon, offering opportunities for artistic and analytical transformation.

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Area of Science:

  • Psychoanalytic theory
  • Aesthetics
  • Psychology of art

Background:

  • Explores the psychoanalytic perspective on the phenomenon of ugliness.
  • Reviews existing literature on the psychological underpinnings of aesthetic repulsion.

Observation:

  • Ugliness emerges from fantasies that distort the perception of formal qualities (shape, texture, color).
  • These altered perceptions transform neutral sensory experiences into sources of disturbing and repulsive feelings.

Findings:

  • Presents a psychoanalytic model for understanding the universal experience of ugliness.
  • Utilizes clinical vignettes to illustrate the psychoanalytic concepts related to ugliness.

Implications:

  • Suggests that confronting ugliness can be a catalyst for therapeutic and creative processes.
  • Highlights the potential for psychoanalysis and art to bring order and form to psychological disintegration.