Home

aestheticize

Aestheticize is a verb meaning to render something in a way that emphasizes its beauty, sensory appeal, or appearance, often shaping its presentation to be experienced as an object of aesthetic perception. The term is formed from aesthetic plus the suffix -ize, with the noun form aestheticization (or aestheticisation in British spelling) describing the process.

Usage of the word appears in art criticism, design, marketing, and cultural analysis. It can carry a

Contexts and examples vary. A filmmaker might aestheticize a cityscape through lighting and composition to foreground

Related terms include aesthetic, aesthetics, and aestheticization. Synonyms such as beautify or stylize convey similar ideas

neutral
sense—enhancing
or
highlighting
the
visual
or
tactile
qualities
of
something—or
a
pejorative
sense,
implying
that
form
is
prioritized
over
substance,
function,
or
meaning.
In
criticism,
to
aestheticize
may
be
discussed
as
the
act
of
turning
social,
political,
or
natural
phenomena
into
objects
of
beauty
or
style
for
particular
ends.
mood
rather
than
documentary
detail.
A
designer
may
aestheticize
everyday
objects
to
heighten
desirability.
In
discourse
on
politics
or
media,
scholars
sometimes
describe
the
aestheticization
of
life
as
the
presentation
of
social
life
or
power
itself
as
a
deliberate
visual
spectacle.
but
with
different
emphases;
while
aestheticize
focuses
on
turning
into
or
highlighting
an
aesthetic
experience.
The
concept
intersects
with
discussions
of
art,
consumer
culture,
and
the
role
of
appearance
in
public
life.