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On ugliness.

George Hagman¹

¹gahagman@optonline.net

The Psychoanalytic Quarterly

|October 23, 2003

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.