Extrapolated from numerous reader emails:
- "... I feel like if I don't understand, or even hate the work of an artist, something is wrong with me. Like, if I was smarter about art I would love this stuff. Do I have to like everything?"
The Short Answer:
- No.
The Longer Answer:
- No.
Think for a minute. Do you like every piece of music you hear, every book you read or every food you taste? Art is a sensuous experience. Despite what others may have implied, not every work you see or every artist you "meet" is going to electrify your senses. That is as it should be, or you'd be roaming the earth in an unbearably heightened state of awareness. You don't need anyone's approval to react as you do, positively or negatively, to the art you view.
The Answer in Which Educating Oneself is Urged:
- The more you know, the less mysterious art becomes.
- Tastes shift with time.
- Not everything is worth liking.
No, of course you don't have to like everything.
However, the old "knowledge is power" adage bears repeating. If you're a bit unsure of All Things Art, it may be worth your while to read, learn and gain a more informed opinion. Points to consider:
The language of art, for an unknown reason, tends to make it seem awfully unfriendly to outsiders, but there's truly no secret code one must crack. Think of Art Speak as you would any other foreign language. If you were headed to Beijing, you wouldn't have to be fluent in Standard Mandarin, but you would probably want to know enough to ask where a restroom or taxi stand was located, right?
Chisel away at the lingo at your own pace. Not all of the terms, mind you, just those - such as the elements of art - that have universal application.
The benefits here are twofold. (1) Understanding the elements, with which every artist grapples in order to create, is helpful in understanding what the composition is all about and (possibly, but never always) understanding what the artist was attempting. And (2) as with anything else, familiarity brings with it a certain level of relaxation. Hard to appreciate - let alone like - that which has got a person uptight and intimidated. So learn, always learn.
Often, an appreciation for something only comes with repeated and prolonged exposure. (If you think back, no one is born drinking wine or adoring opera.) You may start your art journey thinking Picasso was an overrated hack and wondering what all of the fuss was about. As time goes by, you may never come to like his work, but you will understand (and be able to converse about) what he was doing. They say it's a woman's prerogative, but any smart person always retains the right to reverse an earlier opinion. Especially if new facts present themselves.
Even Rembrandt had his off days, and more than one famous artist has dabbled in areas that truly weren't suited to his or her abilities. Researching an artist and looking at the whole of his or her output will develop your eye. Soon you'll discover - hopefully, to your delight - that good works are distinguishable from lesser works, and great works jump out at you boldly.
More than individual artists, this same type of research holds true for every artistic movement, period or type of art. Learning what was up with the Italian High Renaissance, for instance, is a big help in understanding why Raphael was so very, immortally good, while Bramantino is more of a talented footnote in Art History. The eye discerns!
Remember, your newly-empowered eye can be trusted, in this one area at least. Nobody is likely to put you on a witness stand over your opinions on art. If anyone tries to make you feel that way, avoid them like the plague.
By way of parting, here's a dirty little Art secret. Consider it my gift to you, who has come asking for some form of affirmation or reassurance. Some of the works you initially disliked? You'll come to find out that, hey! - They really were bad. It's sort of a pleasurably naughty thrill to discover initial, gut reactions were correct, when revisiting them armed with knowledge. Don't let the secret out, though.
