Ed Ruscha, Every Building on the Sunset Strip, 1965
Umberto Boccioni, The Unique Forms of
Continuity in Space, 1913
"My three-year-old daughter could make that."
"I don't understand modern art."
"I thought the point of art was to be beautiful."
"I don't get it."
Laughter. Fear. Despair. Disinterest. Boredom. Panic. These are all reactions one can witness while observing a crowd of visitors in the modern or contemporary gallery of a museum. If we fear what we don't understand, why wouldn't the sight of conceptual art piece cause sheer panic? If we calm discomfort with laughter why wouldn't a modern abstract painting cause a viewer to crack-up? This introduction is not meant to sound snobbish, or to proclaim that art can only be appreciated by those who do "get it." However, the basic misapprehension that art is only about beauty leads to the conclusion that if you don't think its beautiful its not good art. This can definitely be problematic. So what are you supposed to do then as a casual museum goer, part-time art enthusiast, or someone who gets dragged by a loved-one into a completely foreign section of the museum against her will? Here are some tips to make your dose of modern/contemporary art more palatable:
1) Read the labels.
This may sound obvious and even patronizing, but the truth is, the more unappealing a work of art looks at first glance the least likely we are to sneak up close to the wall, bend down and squint at the tiny museum label. However, it is in the cases when the first thought to pop into your head is "I don't get it" that the museum labels can be the most helpful. Some of the pieces I love the most now are ones that I completely dismissed when they first came up on the screen in my art history classes. Once you learn even just a tiny bit about the concept (if its contemporary) or the context (if its modern) about a piece, the piece completely opens up and transforms before your eyes. Even if you don't have a spiritual awakening, or even an ah-ha moment, I guarantee that with modern/contemporary art a little bit of understanding goes a LONG way. Once you get into that habit, it becomes a lot easier to see why art isn't only about beauty.
2) Pay attention to names and dates.
Even without having taken an introductory to art history class in the last 20 years, chances are, if you're in a museum, you already know at least a little something about art. Just because you don't recognize the artist's name once you do read the label on whatever profane, offensive, or obtuse work of art you are examining, doesn't mean you're done for. Looking at the date of a piece, and the nationality of the artist can give you some clues about context when the label is lacking in specifics. While its not always safe to assume an artist belongs to a movement based on aesthetic similarity, when you are simply trying to fill in the blanks for yourself, associations can go a long way. While I would never recommend going on aesthetic similarity alone, adding nationality and/or dates in there too could possibly help when no outside source of additional information is available. Another aspect to take into consideration is the other works in the room. Is there another piece nearby that you do know something about, or another artist that could possibly be related thematically or historically? Curators don't just place works on the walls haphazardly. A lot of time and effort goes into creating gallery spaces that maximize the amount of information available to the viewer, and optimize their viewing experience. Trust the curators--look for the connections!
3) Trust your instincts.
Art is not autonomous. You do not have to know exactly how performance art works as a medium to figure out that its political. If you lived through the 60's, or know anything about the political climate of the decade, you can figure out the meaning of Yoko Ono's Cut Piece with only the help of your own historical knowledge/experience and visual analysis.
4) Ask yourself questions.
It may seem strange at first that Ed Ruscha wanted to photograph Every Building on the Sunset Strip, but ask yourself, "What usually makes me want to photograph something?" "Why is this different?" "Why could he possibly want to photograph every building?" Even without answers to these questions, by asking them you're already on the right track to "getting it."
5) Turn and face the strange.
Don't let a lack of background knowledge keep you from enjoying modern/contemporary art. You have the tools and the skills to "get it" on your own, and furthermore, museums often have even more available to help you. You don't have to buy the $100 exhibition catalogue to read the introduction in the bookshop, or the introductory text on the wall of the gallery for that matter. But the number one thing you must always bring to the museum if you want to move beyond the intial questions that start off this post is an open mind!
