Written by Tarushi Singh
Edited by Jaanvi Thorat
Illustrated by Ananya Prabhakar
The glorious sunset on a YouTuber's vlog didn’t seem complete until she added the “80’s film” filter. I wondered why she hid that beautiful sunset under a film of grain and blur. As the video resumed, she added that the view made her feel like she was living in an 80s movie. She wanted such an aesthetic to be represented in her content, which, to be honest, seemed fair enough. The need for a particular aesthetic in accordance with the occasion has become the latest term of time. The introduction of “Vintage cameras” and “Film cameras” took social media, which is the biggest producer of aesthetics, by storm. You might be wondering about the kinds of aesthetics social media could probably produce. It's rather simple. They produce an aesthetic that identifies with a population that is influenced by the need to put up their life narratives in a certain manner on a social platform. Well, that is not what my article is about, it is pertaining to another ray on the spectrum, the manipulative side of “Aesthetics”.
As aesthetic as is understood is related to the concept of beauty, and appreciation of beauty, to be precise. However, the modern interpretation of it is very different. The contemporary idea of aesthetics is associated with a genre of content that corresponds to a certain type of outlook. It is not a stagnant category as the usage and understanding of aesthetics continues to evolve. In this context, the idea, which incorporates the aesthetic, are of eras that are generally termed as 2000s vintage Y2K aesthetic, 90s vintage grunge aesthetic, 80s vintage retro aesthetic, 70s vintage hippie aesthetic, 60s vintage mod aesthetic, etc. Classifications can further branch into distinct core types, namely, Fairycore aesthetic, Cottage Core/farm core aesthetic, and Antique aesthetic. Furthermore, they can also be based on colors, light and dark academia aesthetics, minimalist aesthetic, softcore aesthetic, darkcore aesthetics, rainbow aesthetics, earth tones aesthetic etc. The evolution of aesthetics has taken place through multiple channels, such as the Hallyu post and the inculcation of anime in many cultures.
The usage of these aesthetics, through the employment of editing apps or the exhibition of certain practices, has enabled users to exhibit their content in certain manners. The theme of the month is Nostalgia and to dive back into the pool of memories, visual and audio references seem to be the most effective ones in generating a feeling of nostalgia. Recalling our childhood, we often refer to memories of outdoor games, Zack and Cody or Karan and Kabir, Bingo mad angles, Tumblr, power rangers, flip phones, windows famous wallpaper, and so on. The content on media platforms, with filters added, is usually of a slightly low quality. It reminds us of the times we were young and were familiar with the media of that quality. The usage of back-and-white aesthetics is used to give a more dense and serious feeling to the visual. The absence of color allows scope for more analysis. Similarly, the usage of indie aesthetic focuses on brightening the surrounding by the usage of exaggerated colors and brightness to demonstrate the vividness and vibrancy of life. Blurry filters and grains in visuals are the primary elements that induce a feeling of nostalgia, in addition to the content.
We often ignore why certain items fill us with nostalgia, in addition to the feelings associated with the content. The truth is that it's much more than just our feelings involved in the process. Wouldn't it be fascinating if we could identify the sort of elements needed to be employed in order to generate the exeact feeling of nostalgia or a feeling of any sort, for that matter? It always made me wonder. I hope it makes you ponder over why Chota Bheem gives us so much nostalgia, in addition to it being an essential part of our childhood memory, and why Moreover, Thomas the Train appeals to the emotions of audiences of various ages in different manners.
Till the next edition, just Shaka laka boom boom!!
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