As appeared in MCA Cover Drive Magazine Vol 12- July 2012:
Art is an emotional expression of an artist. We laugh, cry, feel anger and experience a multitude of emotions all through life. For an artist these same emotions freeze into a work of art through the many mediums at an artists disposal. Art is therefore very subjective and has no predetermined parameters of evaluation. The magic of art is when a viewer feels the emotional connect with the creation. Art then touches a chord and speaks to him. Through this experience is born an art lover.
Love begins with the emotional connect and starts your affair with art. Art could be in any form; visual, installation, video, sculpture. Many styles; figurative, abstract or from eras that give us the isms; impressionism, expressionism and many more. But don’t let that clutter you or deter you. That is all the grammar and structure of understanding art. For now indulge yourself. Play a game of looking at a lot of art via the net or by visiting art galleries, observe the ones that speak with you. After a period of time ask yourself why? Is it the colours, the strokes, the subject, the style? Is there any commonality between all the works of art that you happen to like? What are the common factors if any.
If you are enjoying this explorative journey until here, sheer passion will want you to know more. From here on the study begins. Today one is very fortunate to have the web at ones disposal. Ask any question to Google and you will find your answer. Begin by brief studies into the history and evolution of art. Drool over the works of the great masters. Study art from the perspective of the artist; When, where, how and why did he create the chosen subject. What were the symbols of that era, most of them hold good even today. A cross can represent suffering; The sun can express heat and life; A river is often a symbol of change and the color red gives the feeling of anger or passion. Having said that, all objects or colors that appear in a painting or drawing are not necessarily symbols. Read about his life and times, his story, his circumstances and you will see that great art, mirrors the times and yet is timeless. It captures emotions and emotions universal.
You are now ready to explore the grammar of paintings, again the web will come to your rescue. By now you know how to look at art and talk about art. At this point you may decide to halt. That is fine. The in-depth walk through into understanding art can be kept for another time.
Make art appreciation a part of your everyday life
Don't feel intimidated to talk about art. Share how you feel, because your opinion is a valuable one. Remember, the more you look, the more you will see. Discuss different works of art with likeminded family and friends. Join the elitist club of art lovers, have fun and remember that talking about art can be cultivated and developed. Go ahead and acquire the skill.
Article written by
Mithu Basu
Curator & Founder
www.dolna.in
All pictures courtesy www.dolna.in
Reference links:
http://www.dolna.in
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