aestheticization

Aestheticization refers to the process by which something is shaped, interpreted, or presented in terms of aesthetic criteria—emphasis on beauty, form, or sensory experience—so that it is perceived through an artful or stylistic lens rather than through straightforward functional or informational criteria. The term is used across aesthetics, sociology, media studies, and political theory to describe how subjects or events are made legible as objects of aesthetic attention.

In art and design, aestheticization describes deliberate choices in style, imagery, and composition that render subject matter as visually coherent or emotionally resonant. It operates at multiple levels, from visual arts and architecture to film, advertising, and urban space, where the goal is to heighten appeal, meaning, or accessibility by aligning with prevailing tastes.

In social and political contexts, the phrase is often applied critically to the transformation of life, politics, or conflict into a visual or symbolic spectacle. Proponents of the critique argue that aestheticization can intensify engagement and sympathy, but critics contend it may obscure material conditions, power relations, or ethical considerations. The concept is associated with discussions of the aestheticization of politics and of violence, as well as with the broader idea that images and stylistic form mediate how audiences understand events.

Overall, aestheticization highlights the tension between form and substance: making things aesthetically legible can broaden appeal and comprehension, while potentially masking issues that require ethical or practical scrutiny.