Thank goodness for controversy! This is a sign that the public is alert, concerned and willing to respond to the installation of an artwork in its community. Although cities have art selection committees that involve citizen participation, the general public must simply cope with an artwork that it had no direct role in the selection or location. How should public art be approached? Are there any guidelines for appreciating public art? There are, and I have developed a few. Note that these guidelines are not intended to determine if an artwork is “good art” or “bad art.” Nor are they intended to determine “what is art” or “what constitutes being an artist.” These are all legitimate concerns, but they often are obstacles in achieving the basic goal of simply appreciating a public artwork. So, follow these four simple guidelines.1. SUSPEND JUDGMENT
This does not mean that judgment plays no role in art appreciation. It simply means that you are to check your immediate reactions long enough to be open to the dictum: “Look to learn and learn to look.” Popular comments like “my 4 year old could do that,” “that was a waste of money,” “horrors… get rid of that” are judgments that quickly shut down the learning process. Remember, that an artwork is like a Rorshach ink blot… your reaction to an artwork is as much about you as it is about the artwork.
2. HEAD versus HEART
If you are more of a thinking type, then proceed with a head approach and begin developing your thinking process. A worthwhile first step is what is the title? Most artists give a title; this is an important clue for focusing your initial attention and quite frankly is where most people begin. Some artists just number the artwork, for example, #39 or put the frustrating label “untitled.” Giving this nondescript label a positive spin, however, you might say that the artist is respecting your intelligence and expecting you to work harder. A further step is to ask what is the style used by the artist? This presupposes some knowledge but sometimes it’s obvious… like that piece is really abstract or the detail is so amazing it seems alive. If the artwork is more abstract, your patience is probably going to be tested more than if the artwork is highly realistic because people relate to what is familiar and recognizable. Other questions to be raised are what materials are used, why the choice of color(s), what are its dimension, why is it so huge. Art placement is like real estate. Location, location, location play an important role, for example, how well does this artwork go in this particular location
If you are more of a feeling type, then proceed with a heart approach and get a more gut connection to the artwork. What do you notice about your reactions? How does the artwork affect you? What is your dominant feeling? Stay with that feeling; relish it. How about memories or associations that the artwork stirs up? Do you connect to something in your past or present life that is significant? Does the artwork remind you of other artworks that have a strong emotional resonance? You may be tempted to express yourself with an exclamation WOW or FANTASTIC, or you may want to touch the artwork (if that is permitted).
Explore both the head and the heart, be a thinker and a feeler.
3. ARTIST INPUT
Visual artists use sculpture, painting and architecture to communicate intuitive impressions or breakthrough insights. Most art is pleasing to the eye although certainly not all… at least in an initial encounter. The reason is that beauty attracts the observer to the transformative truth the artist seeks to communicate. Like the bee is attracted to the beauty of the flower. The beauty draws the bee into the depths of the flower. The bee extracts the pollen and simultaneously fertilizes the flower. The bee got what it was looking for and the flower is delighted with its pollination …oops, “pregnancy.” So then, follow the beauty. Look for the artwork’s order, harmony, unity, balance… look for the details… the skill, the technical ability needed to present this artwork… savor the colors… their brilliance or subtlety… is the artwork humorous or serious… playful or tragic… how do all the parts work together. Inquiry will boost your beauty detector. This appreciation of beauty can lead you deeper into the flower, ( the artwork) to gather the pollen, (the vision) of the artwork.
4. COMMUNITY REFLECTION
Public art is controversial because there is a statement about the very community that sponsored the artwork as well as a statement to the community. Public artwork stirs debate and requires the community to come to some type of mutual understanding and acceptance. This is where public art relates directly to civic virtue. The classic understanding of civic virtue is respectful conversation, a search for ultimate agreement and being informed about issues that impact community life. Public art, public controversy and civic virtue are inevitably linked because art by its nature is complex and challenging to understand and to appreciate.
WRAPPING UP
O.K.! You’ve worked your way through these four guidelines for the purpose of developing your appreciation of a public artwork. Give yourself credit and celebrate with a juicy JUDGMENT. In the future you may want to revisit a particular artwork… taking another opportunity for “looking to learn… learning to look.” There is an old Greek saying “Noble things are difficult.” Art appreciation is a noble process that is difficult but holds great rewards for those willing to take the journey.
