I remember sitting in a local cafe having a glass of wine with a good friend. I was remarking on the painting that was hanging just above our table. It was a local artist and I was telling her how much I liked it. My friend put down her wine glass, clasped her hands and said, “I am giving up on art, I just don't understand it.”
This friend of mine was not normally into the arts, but she knew I was and she would try and learn to appreciate the things I introduced her to. Her declaration did not come as a surprise. Then she told me why.
She had recently been to the Andy Warhol exhibit and did not like it; she translated that into not understanding it. She felt that if she couldn't appreciate a world class artist like that, she obviously had no right appreciating anything.
This is sad, but so very true of many of us, myself included, as I have felt this way many times about art, music and dance.
Many years ago I was at the Art Gallery of St. Albert and I confessed this to someone I barely knew, who was an artist. She told me I didn't have to understand it; I just had to like it. A light went on that day and the more I allowed myself to discover what I liked about art, the more I have learned and understood and appreciated.
Art still seems like such a mystery. People are happy to discard music they don't like and yet still appreciate other forms of music. Same with literature, if you don't like historical fiction, there is always poetry, nonfiction or romance. But with art, we seem to be afraid to say that we don't like a piece because we may be accused of not understanding it.
I spent some time recently at the University of Alberta Hospital with a family member. There is a lot of public art hanging in its halls. On the fourth floor are two paintings – just splashes of paint. It didn't seem remarkable and made me think, “I could do that.” But then, underneath the painting I read that the piece was done by Lucy the elephant. I instantly understood the painting and had a great appreciation for it. It was merely splashes of paint.
Don't give up on art. Find things you like and why you like them.
Just like music, find something that makes you want to dance!
