GUIDING QUESTIONS TO ENHANCE YOUR ART VIEWING EXPERIENCE
HOW TO LOOK AT ART
1WHEN YOU ENCOUNTER AN ARTWORK
THAT MAKE YOU FEEL PERPLEXED INTRIGUED EXCITED DISGUSTED ANXIOUS SAD CURIOUS GRUMPY CONFUSED IN AWE INSPIRED, USE THESE ENHANCE YO
GUIDING QUESTIONS TO OUR INTERACTION WITH IT.
*HINT: THERE ARE NO WRONG ANSWERS
1 FIRST, ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR GUT REACTION.
WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST EMOTION WHEN SEEING THE PIECE? WHAT DID YOUR GUT SAY? WHAT ABOUT THE PIECE MAKE YOU REACT THAT WAY?
2 THEN, OBSERVE THE STYLISTIC CONTEXT
DO YOU LIKE THE COLORS USE? HOW ABOUT THE MEDIUM (PAINT, SCULPTURE, ETC)? IS IT BURSTING WITH DETAIL OR MINIMALISTIC?
3 TAKE A GUESS AT THE POSSIBLE MESSAGE
WHAT DO YOU THINK THE ARTIST IS TRYING TO SAY? NOTHING? EVERYTHING? SOMETHING IN BETWEEN?
4 NOW, START TO ABSORB ANY INFORMATION AVAILABLE ABOUT THE PIECE OF ART.
IS THERE WALL TEXT AROUND? IS THIS A PART OF A MUSEUM GUIDE? WHAT DOES THE INTERNET SAY ABOUT IT? WHAT EVENTS WERE HAPPENING AROUND THE WORLD DURING THE TIME THIS PIECE WAS CREATED?
5 AFTER SOME CONTEXT, CONSIDER WHAT THE PURPOSE OF THE PIECE MIGHT BE.
WHAT DO YOU THINK THE PIECE IS TRYING TO DOING? DOES IT TELL A STORY? EVOKE A FEELING? DOCUMENT AN EVENT? PRESENT AN IDEA?
6 TAKE IT PERSONALLY
DOES THE MESSAGE OR IMAGE REMIND YOU OF ANYTHING IN YOUR LIFE?
7 LOOK AT ART THROUGH THE EYES OF A CHILD
KEEP ASKING WHY. WHY IS IT RED? WHY IS IT SO SMALL? WHY DOES THE PERSON LOOK SAD?
8 NOW, LOOK AROUND YOU AND OBSERVE THE ENVIRONMENT IT’S IN.
WHAT OTHER PIECES OF ART IS AROUND IT? WHY DO YOU THINK THE CURATOR PUT THEM TOGETHER? WHAT DO YOU THINK THE COLLECTIVE STORY IS?
9 FINALLY, OBSERVE ANY CHANGES
NOW THAT YOU’VE UNEARTHED SOME NEW INSIGHTS ON THE PIECE, GO BACK THROUGH THE QUESTIONS AND SEE IF YOUR ANSWERS MAY HAVE CHANGED.