Whether you are ultimately looking to impress your new artsy significant other or to show your artistically-inclined child some support, learning to appreciate visual art can seem like quite a drag.
Words like ‘paintings’, ‘drawings’ and ‘sculptures’ do collectively give the immediate impression of something dauntingly ‘high-class’ and out of reach for many. And because of that, while art museums and galleries are often part of one’s holiday itinerary, these locations tend to be simply another item to tick off the travel bucket list. We go there just to say we’ve been there...not so much to appreciate the artworks therein.
Yet, visual art goes far beyond those three words and the like; it doesn’t just comprise the more traditional – and seemingly lofty – Renaissance paintings and Neoclassical sculptures. Indeed, the past few decades have seen the rise of artworks that embrace a wider range of mediums – including installations featuring LED lights (see Sonnier’s work below) and everyday objects – which may seem far more accessible (and to some, more thought-provoking).
Keith Sonnier, Cula, 2016 | Image Credit: Pace Gallery
No matter the genre, medium, or time period, though, an art piece can be appreciated BY YOU with help from the following insights.
Overcoming Preconceived Notions of Visual Art’s Purpose
Visual art pieces are commonly thought to be crafted simply for looking at and admiring (or loathing, in some instances). Indeed, there is “aesthetic enjoyment” to be gained, in ways similar to those from viewing everyday items - think buying a car or choosing a box of cereal.
But to truly appreciate an art piece, it is necessary to analyse it and understand its purpose beyond its aesthetics, much as aesthetics remain important for most, if not all, art. As with other art forms, like music or film, visual art taps into emotions (be that the artists' or the viewers'), sometimes to ask questions, convey messages, or even forward arguments. In being reflective of a certain time period, a work of art may also be inextricably linked to historical events that still have repercussions for the present day and hence stand as a piece of history to study in its own right. Alternatively, if it is contemporary, the piece could be a form of commentary on present-day concerns, providing a new lens through which you could reflect on those topical issues.
Initial Responses: the Emotions, the Immediate Message
Don’t disregard your first impressions upon seeing an artwork. Let them form the basis of your judgement (and don’t be swayed into thinking that grasping the work’s meaning equates to thinking up some sophisticated waffle). As summarised by The Art of Living, there are three aspects of reflection to take note of at this stage:
Physical Sensations – were there any physical reactions you experienced upon first look? did you tense up, or perhaps notice yourself crossing your arms?
Emotions – did you feel a certain way (delighted, disgusted, etc.)?
Thoughts – did the artwork trigger certain memories or cast your mind to certain ideas? were these memories/ideas pleasant?
Don’t worry if your response to each of these points is a simple one-word answer. If that's what the artwork sparked in you, then it's authentic and valid – don’t discount it, believing you need to come up with something longer and smarter.
Aesthetics: Formal Qualities
Here’s where you’ll need to do a bit more thinking. With your initial responses in mind, take a closer look (literally) at the formal qualities of the art piece and spend some time thinking about how these worked to elicit those responses.
How did such and such an element (be it colour, lighting, lines, texture, etc.) trigger such and such a feeling or reaction? How did all these elements and their attendant effects come together to tell the overarching story that triggered your overall feeling about or reaction to the work? For this, the J. Paul Getty Museum provides succinct and illustrative explanations of the elements of art and principles of design that you will certainly find useful. Hopefully, working through this process would allow you to recognise the amount of effort and skill that goes into an art piece.
If you have a companion with whom to discuss the effects of the piece’s formal qualities, even better! Exchanging ideas could lead you to different interpretations, which would, in turn, give you a more comprehensive understanding and deeper appreciation of the work (and, in some cases, the artist).
To provide a very brief demonstration of unpacking the effects of an artwork’s formal qualities, let’s turn to Picasso’s Buveuse assoupie. (We have chosen the work of a canonical European artist to emphasise that you needn’t overcomplicate your thinking process even when faced with one of 'the greats’.)
Pablo Picasso, Buveuse assoupie (Sleeping Drinker), 1902 | Image Credit: Artsy
The above is a typical example of the masterpieces Picasso produced during his ‘Blue Period’. The consistent cool blue hue gives a solemn feel to the work, which is reinforced by the hunching of the human subject. Coupling this with its title, the work may seem to you a visual expression of drowning sorrows through drinking, which could perhaps lead your mind to darker, more tragic themes.
Context, Context, Context
Beyond appreciating how an art piece manages to draw out certain reactions from you, it is crucial to understand the context of the work (its inspiration, when it was produced, artistic trends of the time, who commissioned it, etc.) so as to better grasp its thematic purpose(s). Southeast Asian art, for example, cannot be fully appreciated without recognising its history of drawing heavily on religious and mythological imagery, which typically reveals much about the behaviours and beliefs of the artists, the commissioners, or those with whom they interacted.
Unknown Artist, Krishna Mounting Garuda with Satyabhama, c. 1730 | Image Credit: Britannica | Los Angeles County Museum of Art
Luckily for all of us, the most important and relevant contextual information can usually, if not always, be found in description cards next to the artworks themselves.
Research and Reflection
The contextual blurbs provided by galleries may also point you to certain aspects of the artworks that would repay further investigation.
If a piece was part of a certain artistic wave, you might want to look into its significance for the movement. A work may have also been rooted in some kind of debate or controversy at a point in time (or even up to the present), so you could delve into the surrounding issues and decide which side you’re on (or become part of the conversation). In fact, if the piece is contemporary or was produced quite recently, it may even turn out to be something that touches on issues of personal significance to you.
Your research might also help deepen your understanding, or further your reflections on, the ideas you had about a work’s formal qualities and your initial responses to them. Perhaps you might make some discoveries about the exact meaning/purpose of certain imagery employed, which could develop, nuance, or even completely transform, your interpretation(s).
How far you wish to go with your research is, of course, entirely up to you. But the more you put into it, the more you're likely to take away from appreciating an art piece. After all, that’s why Art History exists as an academic discipline.
Summing It Up
Appreciating visual art may require quite some time and effort, but it is certainly something that can be done by anyone who is interested and willing.
Oftentimes, artworks can seem like 1000-piece puzzles, with their formal qualities and contextual details coming together to create multiple layers of meaning – which means there’s usually more than meets the eye! But while that may result in their being far from immediately understandable, the point is to just give appreciating them a go, slowly unpacking their messages (much like how you would with a code, a poem, or even a religious text).
This also drives home the amount of effort that goes into constructing each of these intricate puzzles, so do give your fullest support to any aspiring or established visual artists you know of!