How Do You Read Art?

How Do You Read Art?

Most of the time it seems as though art is seen as a status symbol, a plaything for the rich….  but this is a shame as art can be such a fantastic source of pleasure, that can deepen and enrich our understanding of the world around us, you only need to visit https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/  to see the abundance of paintings that are truly inspiring.

We don’t need to be art experts to have a meaningful relationship with art. All it takes is a moderate attention to detail, a little bit of patience, and a willingness to reflect on our own feelings.

Give a work a moment to do its thing — and see what happens, some works are intriguing in subtle ways, a piece might grab your attention through its subject matter, it’s use of colour, an interesting juxtaposition of objects, it’s realistic appearance, a visual joke, or any number of other factors.

Does art create an emotional response in you? — some artists go out of their way to inspire strong reactions ranging from awe and lust to anger and disgust.

When studying a painting it good to take the time to examine your own emotions in the presence of the painting.

When you next visit an art museum or gallery, see if you don’t find something worth your time.