Appreciating incomprehensible art
Have you ever looked at a painting or sculpture and wondered what influence the artist had been under while creating it?
When I grew up, I was taken to many art galleries and shown all the kinds of painting styles. But after a while, I’d lost all appreciation of a number of forms of art.
This was notably the case for any kind of painting that, to me, was incomprehensible, anything illogical.
Well, it turns out the solution was simple, and I feel stupid for never having tried before: instead of just walking by, saying “what on earth is that?”, all I needed to do was to stare at the painting long enough to figure out what it represents to me.
So I tried at an art gallery this evening. And the words popped up: movement & confusion, Asia, sadness, inversion, rough sea & chaotic sky, explosion of colour, …
Where art galleries had been boring before, now they seem to become interesting, a little game I can play, despite the fact I would never see myself painting something like that.
And now, I can appreciate contemporary art much more, especially the more abstract stuff.
Any other suggestions on how to appreciate that?
[note: this is not meant to offend those who love contemporary art, and I'm sure they all know better ways of appreciating it]
18 June 2008 at 20:52
Even the artist wonders “what the h*ll was I thinking?” after looking at their art. I’ve done that looking at some of the planets I’ve made. Seriously!