Owner of the Albreu Art Gallery, Tom Head, once wrote, "After having been subjected to art the better part of thirty years, I've gained comfort in my ignorant realization that it is exactly what I make of it and no more".
I love this quote coming from a man of many years of experience enjoying art, appreciating artists and their works and promoting art to the public.
I can think of no better words than those of Mr. Head to prepare for a trip to the art museum.
If you are feeling a bit intimidated , please don't.
Many people think they need formal art education, or extensive knowledge of art history and the lives of the artists. Some think you can't enjoy art unless you can properly identify it's classification, or the era from which it came. That could not be further from the truth. Have you ever looked at a flower and commented on it's perfection and beauty? Have you ever been impressed by a pleasing table arrangement? Have you ever complimented a person on their attire? If your answer is yes, you have everything it takes to view and appreciate art. All it takes is a positive attitude, curiosity and an open mind.
When vacationing on your ship you have the enormity and panorama of ocean views when you come closer to port. One of the first urges when you see something of that nature is to photograph the scene so you can enjoy the experience over and over. It's a way of sharing the excitement and spectacle with your family and friends and co-workers. Seeing new places becomes part of the richness of our lives. It is fun, memorable and thrilling. That picture you just took is art! When you looked at your first grader's interpretation of a dinosaur , you giggled, had a twinge of love and pride and asked him about the dinosaur he drew. You were experiencing art appreciation.
Art surrounds you from the design of your travel ticket, to the travel brochures, signage, magazines, television programming, books and film. Industry spends a fortune on advertising which is made to evoke a desire in us to purchase their products, be it food, clothing, cosmetics, travel packages and the like. Rarely do you find an ad that does not contain art in some way, shape or form. Many businesses are in existence to find out what pleases people. What colors do most prefer in this product? What styles and colors are popular for the upcoming season? What shapes are pleasing for infants, toddlers, and small children? How can we make our hotels and restaurants more welcoming, inviting and create an experience people would revisit or recommend? Art and design is a major part of our daily lives and we know what appeals to us and what does not. This alone makes you an excellent potential art museum visitor.
Early art came in the form of cave drawings. It is not truly known if the images on the cave walls were intended to speak to generations, or to come as a sort of history book.
Did they serve as primitive journaling of their experiences of everyday life, new discoveries and inventions? It's not uncommon for people to want to share their thoughts, experiences and emotions. The caveman had grunts, moans, and utterances, but not a universally understood language. So they gestured, physically acted out, primitively emoted and found communication and expression through their cave art. Without accompanying text, their art was really quite touching, showing community ties and affection for offspring. It showed the monotony of routine, the hunts, fire, domesticated animals. Art expressed fear of enemies and invaders, fear of predatory creatures and the sorrow of losses. Cave art communicated and showed emotion and all art has been doing the same thing ,ever since; communicating and sharing thoughts and emotions.
Looking at a work of art is a personal thing. Everyone has their own likes and dislikes, favorite colors, shapes, subject matter, so it's not surprising that one piece of art can mean different things to different people. Your opinion is just that. There is no right or wrong when it comes to your feelings about a certain work of art. You don't even have to justify why you like or dislike a piece. It's there for you to view and carry from it what you will. So relax...and enjoy your visit.
Many galleries have tools to help you enjoy your museum experience. Some have English speaking tour guides that take you on a group tour. The guides are well versed on the author and can give interesting biographical information and specific anecdotes about their lives and personalities. You can learn where they lived, what type of person they were, their accomplishments and struggles, the time period of their art and what the artist was trying to portray in each work. Tidbits about their country and it's history helps enrich the experience by promoting an understanding in regard to what the artist's world was like at the time. Was his country at peace or were they engaged in political conflicts or wars? Was the country of one religious persuasion or were there struggles, conversion ploys, horrific periods of persecution, inquisition, killings and unrest? Did they have benevolent leaders or oppressive regimes? Could they live in freedom or worry in fear of what the future may bring? Were they members of royalty, the wealthy and privileged or members of the lower classes, peons, slaves, servants or prisoners? Their environment and experiences served to mold their creative expression. The work itself may or may not be impressive but sometimes the creation of simple beauty in a tragic time can be quite touching and memorable. An example of this can be found in the rare art created by children or adults during their incarceration in the concentration camps during the holocaust.
If you prefer to take your time and explore the museum at your own pace , museums often have guidebooks available or audio programs that allow you independence in your museum visit. The printed literature gives enjoyable information and often pictures especially notable works. If an exhibit is a temporary one or part of a world tour, limited engagement, you can usually come away with a program, pamphlet or brochure featuring the highlights of the event. The museum gift shops have wonderful memorabilia of your visit in terms of books, compact discs, calendars souvenirs and mementos.
Depending on the museum, you may see paintings of the world renowned masters, in oils, watercolors, dyes. You may run across drawings in pencil, charcoal, dyes, etchings, lithographs, or silk screenings. Most art galleries feature sculptures from a variety of mediums, you may see tools, artifacts, textiles, religious frescoes, tapestries, loom work, quilts, articles of clothing, collections of royal couture and jewels. Some have displays of weaponry, architecture, and examples of art that represent technology, philosophical points of view, personal vignettes, moralistic, personal, and social messages. You may even find humorous, trendy, quirky, fantasy, random or demented art.
Anyone who has visited a large city, especially those in Europe know of the artistry and wonder of architecture. Museums are great venues to witness, study and learn more about the arts and architecture of Greece, Rome, Egypt, France, Spain, Portugal, Russia, Germany, England, Scotland, Africa and Asia to name a few.
When looking at a work of art there are several considerations that can enhance your appreciation of the work.
Color...Has the color caught your eye? Does it feel pleasing or evoke a different mood? Do you feel happy, sad, fearful, calm, secure, inspired, bored? Does it evoke any emotion? Do you feel drawn to it or repulsed by it? Is it conventional in it's use of color or are there surprises in it's use? Can you identify with what you see, or is it foreign and hard to comprehend in terms of the color usage?
Texture...If looking at a painting, do you see brush strokes? Do you see small mounds of paint on the surface of the canvas, as if the paint were applied by an instrument other than a brush? Does the painting look different close up versus at a distance? Are you curious about how the texture creates dimension? Depth?
Light...Some paintings have the soft glow of candlelight, others portray the blinding brightness of the sun. Another painting may give the brilliance of a lighthouse beacon. You may be looking at dancers in a grand ballroom where the crystal chandeliers glisten and sparkle or notice mountain reflections in still lake waters.
Shadows...The three dimensional effect, depth and distance, mood and contrast are aided by the use of shadows, angles and light.
Composition...When you hear someone refer to composition, they are talking about the placement of the focal object in the work of art and how that relates to the total space of the work. In a painting it would be the canvas, in a drawing, it would be the paper and so on. For example you may feel the art work is realistic in color, shape and size, but in some way something feels offit could be a matter of the composition.
When reading or listening to an explanation of what this work of art meant to the artist , don't be surprised if you totally agree or totally disagree or any thought in between. Art is a personal experience, therefore is effected by our environment, upbringing, education, religion, personal experiences. Point of view can be linked to ethnicity, geographical location, time or era in which you lived, socio-economic status and many other influencing factors. A person who has lived a sedate, genteel existence may feel differently than a person who has lived through injustice, tragedy and loss. It is interesting to hear what the artist meant to say, or show or portray in their work. The guides, guidebooks and brochures are wonderful in pointing out the symbolism, inspirations and thought in each piece.
Because we are all different in our personal stories and events, is why visiting an art museum can be such an emotional experience. It can transport you into another time and place, give flame to your own inspiration and creativity. Memories of your own country, town, loved ones can be sparked by art works that remind us of special times in our own lives. Often you will see people laugh, cry, be thoughtful or reminiscent when viewing a particular museum exhibit. For all our differences, our emotions are very much the same. A work does not have to come from Leonardo Da Vinci or Monet, or Rembrandt to touch our hearts and change our focus , even if for a moment. History and art gives us a glimpse of where we were and how we lived. The representations can be simple, complex, whimsical, serious, comical, educational or humorous in it's intent. Art can be lavish, opulent and beautiful beyond our ability to describe . It's focus can be as simple as a child's discovery of his own reflection or celebrate our greatest triumphs and our lowest, occurrences of tragedy and shame. You don't have to leave loving each piece or even liking some pieces. That's the beauty of art, there is something for everyone. Even the most discriminating art critics have their favorites and not-so-favorites. Just like everyone else. Love it or hate it, the purpose remains; communication and expression of thought and emotion.
Many art collectors have said , "I purchased this work because I liked the way it looked." It can be as simple as that.
Go with a positive attitude and open mind .. Who knowswhen you return to the cruise ship after your tour and you are discussing the days events with family and friends, your observations of what you experienced at the galleries may be the most profound or most perceptive of them all. Besides, you are on vacation, or holiday. Live it up, have fun and enjoy yourself.