Empirical Models of Aesthetic Experience Formation and their Application to the Analysis of Tattoo Phenomenon

Abstract

This paper examines the main empirical models of aesthetic experience formation. The most common models in modern research are those formulated by H. Leder and M. Pelowski. For both models, general descriptions are given in section 2 and their main stages are considered. The Vienna Integrated Model of Art Perception (VIMAP) was adopted as a model for the subsequent analysis of the tattoo phenomenon from the standpoint of empirical aesthetics. In the second part of the paper, the indicated model is considered in its application to tattoo perception: examples of image perception for the results highlighted in the model are proposed. In the course of its application, examples were found and provided for results 1,2,4, while for result 5 a possible form of transformative action is assumed, which is not disclosed in detail in this work. No examples were found for result 3 (flow status), which also requires further study. In the final section, a question is formulated for further research and verification of the applicability of the model. This issue concerns differences in the perception of tattoos and body patterns (“temporary” tattoos), and possible methods of analysis based on criteria of “authenticity” and explicit classification are proposed.