How to turn confusion into appreciation on your next visit to an art museum
Three points to provide some guidance from an art fanatic.
Those who know me are aware of my love for museums and art. I grew up in a family of art enthusiasts, with a passion for design and any medium that allows creativity to express itself. My childhood home was a place where furniture changed every few months, except for a few constants: an egg chair, a crystal sculpture shaped like an apple and a Cruz Diez painting; everything else was fair game for change. When I picture my first home, it's not a single image that comes to mind but rather a feeling of being surrounded by beautiful things.
In this same vein, my parents used to take me to craft fairs and point out the intricate work artisans did to make their products. When we saw a particular building, my dad would explain the architectural movement it belonged to and what was happening in the world at that time. Whenever we traveled, my mom would hire a historian to give us a lesson about the place we were visiting, so we could immerse ourselves in its historical context.
It's worth mentioning that my dad is an artist, and even when I was little and handed him my drawings, he would ask if I wanted to know how to improve them. Armed with a marker, he would be ready to point out proportions and perspective.
All this to say that my love for art is not a coincidence; I grew up in an environment that prioritized it. If this wasn't your experience, that's okay too. Having had this background, when I stand in front of a work of art, my inner dialogue is particular. I won't claim to be an expert because I'm far from it, but I'd like to share some points about art appreciation for those who find it challenging to connect.
Context
Just as my mom hired a history teacher before a trip, it's essential to do some research beforehand. I believe that some resistance to art, especially modern art, stems from a disdain for what we don't understand. Doing a little homework beforehand gives you the feeling that you'll do well on the test.
You can watch YouTube videos, do some reading, or, for the love of God, read the guides provided by museums, the texts in exhibitions, and the descriptions of the works. Let me give you an example with a Picasso painting I saw the day before yesterday at the Art Gallery of Ontario:
It looks great, right? It seems like a person... Picasso used a variation of grays with a touch of red... and, of course, it's painted in his coined style, cubism. Now, let's read the description and look at the painting again:
Although the title suggests a single individual is the subject of this painting, three people are actually depicted: the artist, his first wife, Olga Khokhlova, and their son Paulo. Olga, in a striped dress, sits in a chair, holding a book; her hands appear distorted. Paulo (right) and Picasso (left) are both shown in profile and facing Olga, perhaps conveying a psychologically complex family dynamic. Do the overlapping forms suggest intense intimacy or unwanted entanglement?
So, Picasso managed to paint three people in a single portrait? He was a genius! I love the way his mind worked. Just reading a few lines completely changes the perspective of the artwork.
Intention and Appreciation
Another essential aspect is to understand the artist's intention: beyond the artwork, what effect does the artist want to produce in the viewer? Is this artwork in conversation with us? Here's an example with Pierre Soulages' "Outrenoir" or "Ultra Black" series:
Is this just a black canvas? In a way, yes, but by using only black, Soulages makes light and shadow his primary means of creation, and that, in itself, is brilliant. However, his intention is to avoid any interpretative projection that the viewer may make because there's nowhere to project onto.
Here's a small excerpt from an interview with Jacques Alain Miller, the President of the World Association of Psychoanalysis:
Pierre Soulages - There's something I can't explain, that people cry in front of this painting.
Pierre Encrevé - I've also seen people cry at your exhibitions. Many people write to you saying they've cried. It's strange.
Pierre Soulages - Yes, why? Because they find themselves alone in front of themselves?
Jacques-Alain Miller - It's a device that returns each person to their solitude.
Pierre Soulages - It's not a mirror!
Jacques-Alain Miller - On the contrary, a mirror provides you with the company of yourself, while in this case, it returns you to your own absence, perhaps, or to the weight of your contingent presence in the world.
Pierre Soulages - People find something unsettling about it, certainly.
Isn't it amazing that the creation of something can return each person to the solitude of themselves? Once again, knowing what the artist wants to convey can enhance the connection with the artwork.
Consenting to interpretation
Despite all the above, there must be an openness to be interpreted. If not, it's like going to therapy without believing in its effectiveness.
There are no instructions or recommendations for allowing oneself to be interpreted by artwork; it's simply about arriving with the openness to see and be seen, and to validate whatever thoughts arise in that moment. Consenting to be interpreted doesn't involve analyzing symbols and allegories; rather, the most valuable thing is to capture and hold onto what it stirs within us; there are no right answers. This is the beauty of art.
The psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan said that the artist always has the upper hand in approaching the unspeakable, the unthinkable, that which has no words, and giving it shape in a work of art. It's almost a debt we owe to art to go see it, breathe it, appreciate it, and allow ourselves to be interpreted, to see what it teaches us about ourselves.
That's it! See you next week. (P.S.: I missed you, seriously)
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The art is a lie that brings us closer to the truth.
— Pablo Picasso
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