On The Application And Representation Of Foucault’s "Aesthetics Of Existence" In Artistic Creation

Michel Foucault was one of the most important French philosophers in the 20^thcentury.His research involves philosophy,science,sociology and so on,have been having a positive to this day.He organized traditional ontology,proposed the“death of man”under Nietzsche’s inspiration to deconstruct ontology anew.Consequently,Foucault suggested that the only approach to truly shape oneself and to reach freedom was through the“aesthetics of existence”with“care of the self”as the core.Foucault’s“aesthetics of existence”was influenced by modernism,and key concepts of his ideas both corresponded to the development of modern art but also corroborated to the spirit of modern art.The influence of Foucault’s ideas on modern art was pervasive and invisible,strengthening artists’confidence in seeking inwards,and allowing painting to return to painting itself in the context of modernity.The“aesthetics of existence”reviewed and developed the spirit of modernism and the ontology of human being,acknowledging the self-expression by artists in 20th century.The"survival aesthetics"starts with how to shape itself,revealing the formation of the artist’s"style"and the importance of"style"to self-expression.The“aesthetics of existence”requires every mature individual to break the confinement of traditional subjectivity,and to shape their own subjectivity with their existence,thus achieving true freedom.Foucault focused the“aesthetics of existence”on the self in practice,as well as establishing an aesthetic relationship between the subject and the self.However,he did not mean to create another aesthetics system,as he argued that one should aestheticize one’s life through practice.In this way of“care of the self,”it is the difference between individuals and their experience that are sought.And the emphasis on individual experience supported one of the ideological cores of modern spirit and modern art.Furthermore,Foucault emphasized that such care was not only for the individual but also for others.Therefore,the“subject,”as Foucault referred,is an existential subject rather than an epistemological one.The“aesthetics of existence,”which is centered on“care of the self,”is reflected in the“style”of every artist in their artistic creations.The establishment of style is indeed closely related to the unique existential experience of every individual which is not a historical product in a traditional sense but one made by every individual.While artists continued to explore approaches to shaping themselves,the modern art movement started.