Aesthetics for Birds

Aesthetics and Philosophy of Art for Everyone

A black bedazzled jacket. Vertical and lines going up and down the entire back form bars on a jail cell beyond which a lonely cowboy plays a guitar.

March 2, 2023
by Aesthetics for Birds
4 Comments

Nose to the Rhinestone: The Authenticity of Country Music’s Sparkling Suits

How can the country singer’s rhinestone suit be truly authentic if it’s not what cowboys or farmers would actually wear? Continue reading →

Two images Monroe's dress. One before worn by Kardashian, the other after with some crystals missing and stretching around the zipper. An overlayed Tweet reads "Everyone's poling on Kim Kardashian for ruining the Marilyn Monroe dress, but no one said a word when Nic Cage stole the Declaration of Independence."

December 2, 2022
by Aesthetics for Birds
5 Comments

Lizzo Playing Madison’s Flute and Kim Wearing Monroe’s Dress Are Not the Same

Lizzo playing James Madison’s crystal flute is a success story for preservationists. Kim Kardashian wearing Marilyn Monroe’s dress is not. Continue reading →

October 20, 2022
by Aesthetics for Birds
2 Comments

When Can a Band Cover Their Own Song?

Were the Pet Shop Boys covering Elvis or Brenda Lee when they sang “Always on My Mind”? And other paradoxes of cover songs. Continue reading →

A black man with a crown of thorns and the handle of a gun in his waistband holds a complacent child in his arms while a woman breastfeeds on a bed.

September 22, 2022
by Aesthetics for Birds
2 Comments

Five Scholars Discuss ‘Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers’

Kendrick Lamar’s 2022 album has been met with controversy, even among general praise. Here, scholars across different disciplines examine and discuss it. Continue reading →

January 27, 2022
by Aesthetics for Birds
1 Comment

Polite Conversations: Philosophers Discuss the Arts

A YouTube series features interviews with philosophers about their work in aesthetics and the philosophy of art. Continue reading →

December 16, 2021
by Aesthetics for Birds
1 Comment

The Artistic and Philosophical Legacy of Stephen Sondheim

Six thinkers across different disciplines discuss the artistic, philosophical, and social legacy of the inimitable composer Stephen Sondheim. Continue reading →