This is just my take on it, but I've always viewed art that is beautiful as something that points to transcendence beyond the piece itself, it breaks the closed

This is just my take on it, but I've always viewed art that is beautiful as something that points to transcendence beyond the piece itself, it breaks the closed loop and points to some higher ideal. Anti-human art and architecture, of which Brutalism is one example in my book, is revolutionary in that it attempts to sever the connection between humanity and higher ideals / planes of existence, creating closed loops of despair and grayness. In Japan (where I have the most cultural experience outside of the US), there is a phrase "inki-kusai" which is similar to our word "inky" - it calls to mind dark, moldy places filled with litter and insects. I think it's one reason that solar reverence has been so prevalent in their history, sunlight and fresh air serve as disinfectants.