Why look at art? This was the question we posed to several of our colleagues at a conference for museum professionals. Special thanks to Laura Mann, Anna Velez, an anonymous professional, and David Torgersen whose voices and insights are included here.
Smarthistory images for teaching and learning:
[flickr_tags user_id=”82032880@N00″ tags=”looking,”]
[0:00] [music]
Woman 1: [0:02] I think it’s important that people look at art because we live in a visual world. And understanding, and looking at, and thinking about the way images communicate in all kinds of ways is important to being alive today.
Woman 2: [0:22] If one has heightened visual acumen, which you get from spending time looking at things — whether it’s looking at newspaper photos closely, or looking at works in a museum, or looking at your surroundings, or birds more closely — that sort of attention to an environment makes you a better person. You are existing in a more aware, alert, present space.
Woman 3: [0:46] Sometimes people think that the only way of looking at art is going to museums, and things and places like that, but maybe sometimes art is everywhere. In the street, if you look at architectural places, or everything. So you don’t need to go to a museum to see art. It could be anywhere. In a park, or looking at buildings, or going to the movies — so, everyday life.
Man 1: [1:05] It’s all about noticing, for me. It’s all about trying to see beyond the first impression. People look at art and they’d say, “I like this. I don’t like this.” And they move on. They have predetermined notions. If you can just stop, take a breath, and look a little deeper at something, you can start to notice some detail that you might have not noticed before.
[1:25] I think that skill applies to so many things in life aside from art. About being able just to slow down and be aware of where you’re standing and even stop talking and maybe open up your ears, for example. There’s so much detail around that you can absorb if you take a moment, and just let it come in, and listen.
[1:43] [music]
