Taylor-Leigh
Whether it’s in a metropolitan museum, a mural on the side of a building, or a random pop-up performance in a local park, we all experience art on a daily basis, often without realizing it. But going to your friend’s sculpture gallery or an art museum can be a daunting experience if you aren’t exactly sure what you’re experiencing, and quite frankly, even boring. We’ve all felt that awkward pit in our stomach when we don’t know how to comment on a piece, or feel like we wasted $12 on an admission ticket that just made us yawn. Good news though! You don’t have to be an artist to appreciate art, however abstract it is, and you aren’t stuck in your ways of thinking. Here are some ways to start shifting the way you view and experience art, not only for your own self fulfillment, but to spark conversation with those art makers closest to you.
Note that these tips can apply not only to visual art, but to music, dance, performance, sculpture, architecture, film, photography- anything! All it takes is a little mindfulness & practice.
- Remove Your Judgment & Opinion
This one can be difficult, but it’s important to understand that the work you are observing has nothing to do with whether or not you, or anyone else likes it. The work still holds value on it’s own, regardless of what you would do if you were the creator. This also, and especially, goes for saying something is “good” and “bad!!” (I highly recommend avoiding those words at all cost).
- Notice What You Observe
This goes along with not placing judgment or your opinion on the piece. Simply observe- colors, shapes, dynamics, small details & the overall piece. If you are digging for something to say, talk about what you observed, and maybe more thoughts will follow.
- Learn More About the Artist
This is easy to do if the creator is your friend or family member. Do you notice anything about the work that has to do with your friend’s history or personality? Often times the deeper parts of a person reveals themselves through their art. Maybe you’ll notice something that they haven’t noticed themselves yet! If you are at a gallery or a performance with an artist biography, read it! Learn more about who they are and where they’re coming from to craft their expression.
- Imagine the Artist Creating
Now that you have an idea about the creator behind the creation, imagine the artist going through their process. For example, if you’re observing a painting, imagine not only the strokes brushing onto the canvas, but the movement of the artist’s arm holding the brush. I personally love watching tap dancers performing- the faces they make, the movement of their hands and arms countering their feet- demonstrating how fully they’re flowing in the moment. Remember that there’s a whole human on the other side of the piece.
- Describe What Feelings Come Up for You
Again, this takes practice! If you don’t normally create on a daily basis, it’s normal to feel out of touch with your emotions when observing other people’s art. Going back to noticing what we observe, we can start to put some pieces together. How do the colors make you feel? What was your initial gut reaction when you experienced the piece for the first time? Where do you feel it in your body? Can you describe some sensations? Some types of art, performances especially, can solicit a more obvious response in our body, because of the sounds, the movements, and the fact that we can empathize with other people undergoing an expression of the human experience. Start off broad, with general feelings- happy, sad, scared- before getting more specific. This will make it less daunting while you practice observing what you feel.
- Know That It’s Okay (& Natural) to Have a Different Take-Away
Unless you ask the artist themselves, or it is stated outright, you have no idea the intention behind the work. Everyone is going through their own objective experience through life, so your take-away from the piece can, and probably will be completely different than not only the artist, but the observer next to you. There is no, and let me repeat for the people in the back, there is NO right or wrong interpretation for a work of art!! I know people can shy away from talking about how they interpreted a work, but know that, with practice, you’ll get more comfortable sharing your experience, and it can create a fulfilling conversation to share with others who have differing points of view.
- Stop Searching for Meaning
“But what does it meaaaannnn???” I hear this question all the time for people who want to know what a piece is “about.” Perhaps you have the opportunity to ask the artist what their work means to them, but most likely they will redirect the question, asking what their work means to you. After all, artists like to have audiences for a reason- to share their expression with others, hoping it will resonate with the audience member, evoking emotions of their own. And sometimes, a piece doesn’t mean anything at all. It may simply be art for art’s sake, but as I mentioned before, art can still have value, regardless of the intention behind the creation of it. By practicing noticing what we observe, describing feelings that come up, and forming our own take-away, we can unravel a meaning for ourselves. But it doesn’t have to mean any one thing, and it certainly does not have to be forced out of the work.
Now are you ready to go out there & experience art with a new rejuvenation?! Don’t worry if you’re not there yet. By becoming aware of responses from our mind and body, and knowing there are steps we can take to get to that awareness, we can start with small changes that will make more of a difference in the long run. Know that appreciating art is a lifelong practice and a blessing of our world to experience.
P.S.! Post on (non-monetarily) supporting your artist friends coming soon!!
About me & credits: From a young age, my dad introduced me to all sorts of art by running all over town going to museums, festivals, live music, and more. Although I am a lifelong dancer, I found myself bored or not able to appreciate things because I didn’t like it. It wasn’t until I went to college for dance and took related coursework in art history that I was able to gain a better understanding of art. Dance artist and guest at my university, Liz Lerman and her Critical Response Process has also been a major contribution to the way I give feedback and observe not only my work, but the work of others. Once I learned to appreciate and objectively view art, I noticed that my friends and family had little to no response after viewing one of my concerts or works. While this hurt at the time, I realized that it’s probably because they simply don’t know how. My mission for this entry is to give people a better understanding so they can converse with their relatives, but also find more enjoyment in their own observations.
