{"id":2430,"date":"2023-01-06T21:10:49","date_gmt":"2023-01-06T21:10:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nft.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2023\/01\/06\/how-to-look-at-art-and-develop-a-personal-connection-to-it-makersplace-magazine\/"},"modified":"2023-01-06T21:10:49","modified_gmt":"2023-01-06T21:10:49","slug":"how-to-look-at-art-and-develop-a-personal-connection-to-it-makersplace-magazine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nft.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2023\/01\/06\/how-to-look-at-art-and-develop-a-personal-connection-to-it-makersplace-magazine\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Look At Art And Develop A Personal Connection To It | MakersPlace Magazine"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Header Image: <\/em>Art looking @ Art<\/em> by ZuDaLu<\/a><\/p>\n

Introduction: Disputandum\u00a0<\/h2>\n
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\u201cAppreciation cannot be taught. We can only suggest possible approaches, but the enjoyment of art is something that every individual must pursue on [their] own.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2014 from Art: Perception & Appreciation <\/em>by Ortiz, Erestain, Guillermo, Montano, Pilar<\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

With regard to personal taste, Western culture has suffered an unexpected negative consequence of the foundational belief, often summed up in Latin as de gustibus non est disputandum<\/em>: \u201cIn matters of taste, there can be no disputes.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

While the conceit is useful \u2014 especially to high school and college students \u2014 for deflecting criticism of one\u2019s own opinions by others<\/em>, I believe that it implicitly relieves the burden of disputing matters of taste lodged at oneself by oneself<\/em>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

When aesthetic taste is \u201crefined,\u201d it runs the risk of being reduced<\/em> rather than expanded<\/em>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Learning to appreciate art is less about determining works that are \u201cgood versus bad\u201d and more about finding worth and resonance in more places. If a given style doesn\u2019t speak to me, it\u2019s my fault.<\/em>\u00a0<\/p>\n

Whether you are learning to appreciate Beethoven, Coltrane, or Taylor Swift, learned appreciation is about developing sensitivity and opening yourself up to emotional and intellectual experiences that you would have never otherwise been able to access. This appreciation starts as a personal exercise and expands to include others who have gained similar access. If a middle-aged male truck driver and a 12-year-old suburban girl deeply appreciate the same book, they have grounds for connection.\u00a0<\/p>\n

What you\u2019re actually doing when you\u2019re \u201cgetting better at art appreciation\u201d is expanding your scope of attainable peak art experiences, increasing your sensitivity to aesthetic stimuli, and deepening your capacity to connect with other humans.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Filmmaker Werner Herzog<\/a> has attributed his ability to converse with just about any living human to his wide reading and broad interests, so this is quite a bit bigger than a college elective on a Friday afternoon.\u00a0<\/p>\n

What follows are three basic and, dare I say, fun self-guided exercises to expand your \u201cconstraints of taste.\u201d But first, let\u2019s outline some principles to set expectations about what art appreciation means in this context. This is not about biographies, historical context, critical frameworks, and deep analysis. It\u2019s first and foremost about you<\/em>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

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  1. Think about your own reactions and emotions<\/strong>: Pay attention to how the art makes you feel and what it evokes in you. This is where art appreciation starts: in the gut.<\/li>\n
  2. Set aside preconceived notions about art<\/strong>: Don\u2019t approach art believing you need a certain level of knowledge or expertise to understand or appreciate it. Just be open.\u00a0<\/li>\n
  3. Take your time<\/strong>: Don\u2019t feel rushed to understand or analyze a piece of art. Give yourself time and space to be drawn in.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
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