The Art Angle Re-Air: What Makes Spine-Tingling Art? Aesthetic Chills: Explained
Aug 7, 2025
Discover the captivating phenomenon of aesthetic chills, exploring what makes art evoke spine-tingling sensations. The discussion delves into how music and film trigger intense emotional experiences and the rarity of such moments in museums. Listeners will hear about a striking sound installation that intertwines sacred themes with contemporary elements, as well as personal anecdotes illuminating the connection between art and emotion. It's a fascinating journey into the profound impact art can have on our lives.
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Definition Of Aesthetic Chills
- An aesthetic chill is a bodily shiver triggered by art, music, film, or nature when emotional tone shifts suddenly.
- Ben Davis calls this electric charge 'frisson' and ties it to moments of punctuation in experience.
Temporal Art Triggers Chills
- Chills commonly arise in temporal media like music and film because they feature sudden emotional changes.
- Predictable patterns (like an octave leap or plot twist) create punctuation that often triggers frisson.
Circuit-Jumping Moment Explains Frisson
- Multiple 'circuit-jumping' elements combined (music, montage, personal memory) amplify chills.
- Ben Davis says chills often sync emotional change with personal associations to produce frisson.
