1. Overview

OntologyCore, an ontology of aesthetics and creativity was developed within the course Knowledge Representation and Extraction, taught by Professor Aldo Gangemi during a.y. 2024/2025 of the Master’s Degree in Digital Humanities and Digital Knowledge at the University of Bologna. The project’s aim is to apply ontology methodologies to uncover the dynamics of aesthetics and creativity.

1.1 The Project

In recent years, aesthetics such as Y2K, Cottagecore, and Grunge have emerged, declined, and been reborn in constant cycles of reinterpretation and reconstruction. These aesthetics are not merely visual trends but complex cultural phenomena that weave emotion, symbolism, and lifestyle dimensions. They represent both a revival of past concepts and their transformation within new social and technological contexts.

The rise of digital media, especially social media platforms, has accelerated the creation and diffusion of these aesthetics. Among younger generations such as Gen Z, they are not only consumed but also actively performed and redefined. The boundary between creator and consumer has become increasingly blurred: any user can participate in shaping and expanding an aesthetic through creative engagement.

This accelerated rhythm of aesthetic formation, driven by digital circulation and nostalgia for the past, raises key questions: Can these aesthetic practices be understood as creative acts? If so, what forms of creativity do they embody? Through the construction of our ontology, this project aims to explore the intersection where aesthetics and creativity meet, evolve, and mutually define each other in the digital age.

1.2 Aesthetics

The word "aesthetic" originated as the philosophical discussion about what beauty is, how we should approach it, and why it exists. Later, the academic field of art history used aesthetic to refer to a set of principles motivating artists and certain periods of art history. In contemporary digital culture, Millennials and Generation Z started using that term as an adjective that describes what they personally consider beautiful.

Aesthetics have now come to mean as coherent sets of visual, cultural, and stylistic principles that define particular approaches to beauty, design, and lifestyle. All aesthetics have a background and history that has a variety of origins. There is currently no dictionary definition that captures the complexity of this phenomenon, which arose in the Internet youth.

In our ontology, aesthetics is treated as a conceptual entities that are:

• Influenced by cultural or historical contexts, and evoked by emotions or certain values
• Connected to elements (products, fashion, music, color palettes, digital art etc.) and lifestyles (behaviours, values and practices that constitute living the aesthetic).
• Expressed and spread through platforms, media, and communities.
• Are dynamic and evolve over time through reinterpretation and adaptation.

Examples of aesthetics

Y2K

A playful and nostalgic aesthetic inspired by early 2000s fashion, pop icons, and teen culture.

Key Features:

• Low-rise jeans, crop tops, and rhinestones
• Glossy lips, butterfly clips, and pastel tones
• Flip phones, chunky sneakers, and playful accessories

Cottagecore

A dreamy escape into pastoral living, embracing nature, simplicity, and handmade comforts.

Key Features:

• Floral prints and vintage dresses
• Gardening, baking, and foraging
• Soft lighting and earthy tones

Dark Academia

A moody, intellectual aesthetic rooted in classical literature, gothic architecture, and scholarly solitude.

Key Features:

• Candlelit libraries and vintage books
• Muted tones like burgundy and forest green
• Romanticized academic life

Old Money

An aesthetic of quiet luxury and timeless elegance, evoking generational wealth and refined taste.

Key Features:

• Blazers, pearls, and silk scarves
• Tennis, yachting, and museum visits
• Neutral palette and minimal logos

Grunge

A raw, rebellious aesthetic born from '90s alt culture, embracing imperfection and anti-mainstream style.

Key Features:
• Flannel shirts and ripped jeans
• Dark tones and thrifted layers
• Authentic, unpolished expression

Clean Girl

A minimalist lifestyle trend focused on polished beauty, neutral fashion, and curated routines.

Key Features:

• Dewy skin and slicked-back hair
• Gold jewelry and neutral outfits
• Effortless morning rituals