David Humphrey's 1996 essay on beauty's descriptive power republished in 2010 collection

David Humphrey's 1996 essay 'Describable Beauty' explores how descriptions shape beauty rather than diminish it. Originally presented as a panel contribution on beauty in contemporary art, the text was expanded for publication in the journal m/e/a/n/i/n/g. Humphrey argues that describing beauty can paradoxically amplify its future possibilities by expanding what viewers can imagine. He critiques both conservative uses of beauty as an unattainable standard and leftist dismissals of beauty as politically distracting. The essay references André Breton's concept of 'convulsive beauty' and Henry James's definition of beauty as 'the close, the curious, the deep.' Humphrey suggests beauty operates as an activity involving associative processes rather than a fixed quality. He connects beauty experiences to early psychological development involving misrecognition and anxiety. The essay appears in Humphrey's 2010 book 'Blind Handshake' published by Periscope Publishing Ltc. Humphrey reflects on his own artistic practice, noting his initial desire to create paintings that resist description while recognizing writing's potential to extend artistic making.