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acercar la obra de arte a su potencial sensual.

English translation: enabling works of art to realise their sensory potential

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Spanish term or phrase:acercar la obra de arte a su potencial sensual.
English translation:enabling works of art to realise their sensory potential
Entered by: Charles Davis

10:15 Mar 28, 2012
Spanish to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Art, Arts & Crafts, Painting / art exhibition
Spanish term or phrase: acercar la obra de arte a su potencial sensual.
La muestra plantea la necesidad de establecer lecturas sobre piezas en las que el espectador confia a su ojo la posibilidad de acercar la obra de arte a su potencial sensual.
Lorna O'Donoghue
Local time: 07:39
enabling works of art to realise their sensory potential
Explanation:
Literally "bring them closer to", but I don't think this really works. For me it really means, in effect, to bring out the potential that is there, and I'd say "realise their potential".

I'm quite sure the "potencial sensual" must be that of the "obra de arte".

I think it's more natural in English to make it plural: "works of art", rather than "the work of art". "Artworks" would also do perfectly well; it's very commonly used in art writing these days.

"Sensual" could be either "sensory" or "sensual":

"1. adj. Perteneciente o relativo a las sensaciones de los sentidos.
2. adj. Se dice de los gustos y deleites de los sentidos, de las cosas que los incitan o satisfacen y de las personas aficionadas a ellos.
3. adj. Perteneciente o relativo al deseo sexual."

I think it's "sensory" here. "Sensual" really corresponds to meaning 3, with sexual connotations, or at least to 2, which is to do with pleasure. This implication may be present, but I think it's primarily referring to an appeal to the senses, which leads you to "sensory".

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Note added at 1 hr (2012-03-28 11:55:02 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I forgot to say that "fulfil" would be a natural alternative to "realise", but for some reason I prefer "realise" in this case.
Selected response from:

Charles Davis
Spain
Local time: 08:39
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +3enabling works of art to realise their sensory potential
Charles Davis
5to draw the work of art closer to his/her sensual potential.
Adriana Diaz Enciso
4latent senses decipher the artwork through their careful gazes
James A. Walsh
4increase/amplify the visceral impact of a work of art
Jenni Lukac (X)


Discussion entries: 3





  

Answers


1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
enabling works of art to realise their sensory potential


Explanation:
Literally "bring them closer to", but I don't think this really works. For me it really means, in effect, to bring out the potential that is there, and I'd say "realise their potential".

I'm quite sure the "potencial sensual" must be that of the "obra de arte".

I think it's more natural in English to make it plural: "works of art", rather than "the work of art". "Artworks" would also do perfectly well; it's very commonly used in art writing these days.

"Sensual" could be either "sensory" or "sensual":

"1. adj. Perteneciente o relativo a las sensaciones de los sentidos.
2. adj. Se dice de los gustos y deleites de los sentidos, de las cosas que los incitan o satisfacen y de las personas aficionadas a ellos.
3. adj. Perteneciente o relativo al deseo sexual."

I think it's "sensory" here. "Sensual" really corresponds to meaning 3, with sexual connotations, or at least to 2, which is to do with pleasure. This implication may be present, but I think it's primarily referring to an appeal to the senses, which leads you to "sensory".

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2012-03-28 11:55:02 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I forgot to say that "fulfil" would be a natural alternative to "realise", but for some reason I prefer "realise" in this case.

Charles Davis
Spain
Local time: 08:39
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 246
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Kate Major Patience: "realise" is a better collocation here, I agree. This is good.
1 hr
  -> Thanks very much, Kate :)
agree  Richard Hill
5 hrs
  -> Many thanks, Rich :)
agree  Karen Vincent-Jones (X): though I would use the singular "artwork''
21 hrs
  -> Thanks, Karen! I tend to find the plural more natural in generalised statements like this, but it's a subjective matter.
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7 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
confía a su ojo la posibilidad de acercar la obra de arte a su potencial sensual
latent senses decipher the artwork through their careful gazes


Explanation:
I think “su potencial sensual” refers to “el espectador”, and would handle it something along these lines.

Hope this helps :)

P.s., I don't envy you with this job!

Example sentence(s):
  • La muestra plantea la necesidad de establecer lecturas sobre piezas en las que el espectador <b>confía a su ojo la posibilidad de acercar la obra de arte a su potencial sensual</b>.
  • The exhibition creates the need to formulate interpretations of works, in which the viewer’s <b>latent senses decipher the artwork through their careful gazes</b>.
James A. Walsh
Spain
Local time: 08:39
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 64

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Karen Vincent-Jones (X): I like the idea of the spectator's gaze, but I don't know where 'latent senses' comes from
15 hrs
  -> "Latent senses" comes from "potencial sensual" - "latent" is a synonym of "potential", which I think is fitting for the context.
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1 day 6 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
increase/amplify the visceral impact of a work of art


Explanation:
You might want to query the client, but I think this is what he or she meant. I don't think you can really help a work of art to do anything - once it's finished and on display, all the doing is incumbent on the viewer/beholder. Example: Crucifixion Diptych (van der Weyden) - Wikipedia, the free ...
en.wikipedia.org/.../Crucifixion_Diptych_(van_d... -
Yet the two panels are noted for their visceral impact and regarded as a major work in their own right. The Philadelphia Museum of Art's guidebook describes the ..

Jenni Lukac (X)
Local time: 08:39
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 156
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5 days   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
to draw the work of art closer to his/her sensual potential.


Explanation:
To me it refers to the viewer's potential--the work of art has no sensual potential of any kind, though it has the potential to arise sensual or other reactions in the viewer engaged in its contemplation. I'd rather use "draw closer" than "bring closer" but that would be a matter of style. It sounds to me less definite than "bring closer", and we are talking about a possibility.

Adriana Diaz Enciso
United Kingdom
Local time: 07:39
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Spanish
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