Vanishing Taste: On the Sensual Experience of an Artwork

Abstract

The main aim of the article is to analyse the uniqueness of taste experience and its presence in contemporary art. Ephemerality of the sensual experience becomes an important challenge for researchers, art historians, and conservators. The article concentrates on the various aspects of experiencing taste, its place in aesthetics and different ways in which artists engage this sense in their works. The analysis is focused on artworks and performances of two Polish artists: Anna Królikiewicz and Oskar Dawicki. What remains as the taste vanishes? How to “preserve” taste? Why contemporary artists concentrate on non-visual senses? Those are the main issues raised in the article.