Is There a Connection Between Object Diversity and Aesthetic Sensibility?: A Comparison Between Biological Domesticates and Material Culture

ABSTRACT

Humans cultivate diversity of natural and cultural objects in particular contexts and support this by investing in an aesthetic sensibility for diversity. In studies of crop and livestock management, this is well established, but this paper additionally suggests that even when diversity in food crops erodes, diversity of ornamentals consumed recreationally may replace it. Similar patterns and processes can be seen in other domains, such as the design features of material culture, exemplified here in Nuaulu basketry and shield-making. The final part of the paper examines how cultivation of object diversity and its aestheticization plays out in the economic and cultural history of the West when looking at other cultural domains as varied as paintings, commercial brands and beer mats, under conditions that might be thought to reduce it.

KEYWORDS:

• Object diversity
• aesthetics
• domesticates
• material culture
• functionality

Acknowledgements

An earlier version of this paper was presented at the University of Durham in October 2013 as the first ‘Robert Layton Lecture’ under the title ‘The Aesthetics of Diversity’. The ideas had their first outing at an ERASMUS Intensive Programme-funded workshop hosted by the University of Kent in April–May 2010 entitled ‘Biocultural Diversity: Concepts and Interdisciplinary Methods’. I would like to thank Hermien Soselisa and Rini Soemarwoto for their contributions to the underpinning projects. For discussions that have been formative in developing these ideas, I would like to thank Raj Puri and Michael Fischer. Bob Layton was good enough to comment on the lecture as revised for publication, while I have much benefitted from the constructive and provocative comments of the editor of Ethnos and three anonymous reviewers.

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Additional information

Funding

The data on cassava management came out of a British Academy-funded grant, and the basketry work was funded by ESRC grant number R000239310 (for which Michael Fischer was the principal investigator), and ESRC RES-000–22–1106, which permitted further analysis of Nuaulu material culture.