About
“The Ugly Original,” or “Jolies-laides” in French, is about finding beauty in what’s unconventional or unsettling. Typically, we’re drawn to what’s traditionally beautiful, like a charming piece of art we want to see again and again. But the “ugly” challenges us to explore new territory, sparking a fascination for what’s unexpected.
Take the myth of Medusa: she was so taken with her own beauty that it became a curse, turning her into a figure of frightening ugliness. Her hair became snakes, and her gaze turned people to stone. Freud even thought of Medusa as symbolizing something powerful and feared. But the hero Perseus used a reflective shield to look at her indirectly, which allowed him to cut off her head and use it as a weapon. This story is one of the great allegories of art in Western culture.
Every culture sets standards for beauty and value, though these are often rigidly policed by critics, museums, and collectors. However, new ideas and unorthodox materials regularly challenge these norms, making the need for change obvious. Just as in the early 20th century, when new ideas in art and design broke away from tradition, we face a similar opportunity now. There’s value in what may seem “ugly” or unrefined, as it allows us to see the world in a fresh way, free from the limitations of conventional taste.
As George Bernard Shaw put it: “Fashion has to change every three months because it’s ugly.” In embracing the “ugly,” we liberate ourselves from the tyranny of trends, reclaiming the ability to see beauty in our own unique way.