The Cult of Beauty

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Image courtesy of CCCB

The exhibit examines the evolution of the concept of beauty throughout history, exploring the philosophical, cultural, artistic and scientific dimensions that surround it.

Ideals of beauty have existed in all eras and cultures. Despite their changeable nature, there persists a belief in the myth of an eternal hierarchy of beauty. Standards may change, yet the pursuit of beauty remains constant. The effort to achieve and maintain these ideals often leads to a form of cult-like devotion. Philosophers have sought to define beauty, artists have attempted to capture it and scientists continue to innovate in the quest to attain it.

Although these definitions are not universal, the emotional relationship we share with beauty is collective. Beauty provokes responses that range from desire to rejection, pain to pleasure and ecstasy to greed. Our inner relationship with beauty is an essential part of life and is closely connected to our sense of health and wellbeing.

“The Cult of Beauty” invites visitors to expand their understanding of beauty beyond binary oppositions such as beautiful or ugly, natural or artificial and physical or digital. It is a space that embraces the coexistence of opposites, where beauty emerges both in extremes and in everything in between.

By focusing on the tension between norm and transgression, the exhibition reflects on and celebrates what beauty means for different communities, particularly those that have historically lacked representation and have therefore been excluded from the canon.

Rather than following a chronological narrative, the exhibition brings together historical objects, documents, artworks and contemporary installations to place morality, status, health, age, gender and race in dialogue. It explores how ideals of beauty have been constructed through society, politics, religion and medicine across history and cultures and how these processes have unfolded within the local context.

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