Assessing the beauty standards with the great Sagmesiter!

“The worst thing you can say about beauty is that it is in the eye of the beholder.”

Said Stefan Sagmeister, the renowned graphic designer & typographer.

Instead, Sagmeister explained (and designers have always known), we actually have fairly universal ideas of what is, and what isn’t beautiful, which, he argues, can be assessed by clear criteria such as symmetry, proportion, harmony and balance. 

To land his point during his talks all around the world, Sagmeister often presents two identical Mondrian paintings: one original and the other counterfeit. According to him, about 85 percent of the respondents always pass the test, proving those without an artistic background still recognize the aesthetic qualities of compositions :) One just feels like the right composition, one does not! 

In the end it is not a distinction between simplicity and complexity, or between two styles. The question is if something is done sloppily or with a great love and care :)