Why not appreciate the beauty of skiing? The aesthetics of skiing encompass two aspects: beauty and art. Beauty refers to its nature and aesthetic qualities, as well as its perception. Let us keep in mind that the way we execute technical gestures serves as a means of communication with our surroundings as we move through them. Aesthetic pleasure corresponds to the perception of the splendor of skiing. In intentional skiing, an agere prevails; in aesthetically beautiful skiing, a facere—a pure doing—predominates.
On the other hand, the aesthetics of skiing reflect its inherent nature as an “art” and our appreciation and interpretation of how the technique of an observed skier works. Any art could be considered a purposiveness without purpose, yet the art of skiing has a purpose, since it inspires the one who contemplates it.
Skiing belongs to the category of the arts of movement and gliding due to its shifting postures, balances, and rhythms. The art of skiing involves determining the conditions under which it must be performed, as well as being in line with the idea of movement that we intend to execute.
We could consider the art of skiing to be a useful activity, as it seeks a practical end, though without excluding its aesthetic appeal. This art implies skill, mastery, craft, virtue, and, above all, efficiency, regulating the artist-skier’s approach to a sensitive material: snow.
The art of skiing is an intellectual and physical virtue that can be perfected by demonstrating delightful action. The authentic skier is an artist in their craft, exhibiting a creative spontaneity that makes skiing seem like second nature. The art of skiing is more a creation than an imitation, because the skier discovers, invents, and builds their own way of skiing.
Sartre said that skiing is art. We say that skiing can be considered an art form and valued accordingly. If we view it this way, it is achieved through a persistent search for a harmonious balance of movements, eradicating those that are mechanized and excessively controlled. The art of skiing consists of combining the inventiveness of the most appropriate gesture with the given circumstances.
We strive to elevate skiing to the status of art. However, in postmodernity, every human action is ‘aestheticized‘. Therefore, is there any art left in skiing today?
