Comments on: Just what is “visual velcro”? http://smarthistory.org/blog/495/just-what-is-visual-velcro/ Our Thoughts on Teaching & Technology Thu, 01 Jul 2010 16:53:47 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Peter Samis http://smarthistory.org/blog/495/just-what-is-visual-velcro/comment-page-1/#comment-42270 Peter Samis Mon, 01 Jun 2009 19:53:56 +0000 http://smarthistory.org/blog/?p=495#comment-42270 We always hope that the things that work as velcro for us work for others as well, and to the extent that we can act as a virtual "Everyperson," bracketing our art knowledge and sharing what lit us up, we can certainly help. In the case you mention above, the velcro is a bridge between what it's like to "consume" this piece as a viewer and what it would be like to make it--or to want to make it. It comes from an identification with the artist. There are lots of other kinds: the gut emotional impact we get in front of certain works due to their color or scale, the fascination or empathy we have in front of certain portraits, a desire to inhabit a landscape and let our mind wander through it, and so on. But especially in contemporary art, where many of those classic "hooks" are missing, identification with the artist's intent or process can count for a lot. We always hope that the things that work as velcro for us work for others as well, and to the extent that we can act as a virtual “Everyperson,” bracketing our art knowledge and sharing what lit us up, we can certainly help.

In the case you mention above, the velcro is a bridge between what it’s like to “consume” this piece as a viewer and what it would be like to make it–or to want to make it. It comes from an identification with the artist.

There are lots of other kinds: the gut emotional impact we get in front of certain works due to their color or scale, the fascination or empathy we have in front of certain portraits, a desire to inhabit a landscape and let our mind wander through it, and so on. But especially in contemporary art, where many of those classic “hooks” are missing, identification with the artist’s intent or process can count for a lot.

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