Column: The Pictorialist – Put a Little Art in Your Life

2.5.10: Put a Little Art in Your Life

I have yet to come across statistics that will conclusively prove that engagement with art will make you a better person or will make your life better. Who knows, there might just be some such attempts at quantifying people’s experience with art, but I doubt if such numbers has ever been popularly espoused.

But with the way many people seem to be carrying on, and with the countless anecdotal pronouncements to that effect, engagement with art is simply one of those things in life that everyone generally accepts to be good and true, even with the noticeably stark absence of irrefutable statistical proof. The mere existence and proliferation of art may in itself be the proof. And an unscientific overview of the many point of growing and surging interest with art may also be offered as proof. Of course, in breadth and depth of the rough and tumble sphere of human experiences, I imagine there must be certain cases where dabbling in art can more trouble than its worth, but in general, there is this unspoken consensus that our lives seems be all the better because of the uplifting inspiration that can only come from it.

If you happen to be one of those who’s not into art, did you ever wonder what you might be missing? At one point, were you ever baffled or curious at least to know and understand why is it that so many people are enamored with art?

Well, there’s one way to find out (and never too late): jump into a pool of art.

Art today is wide, open, diverse, accessible. Art is no longer the exclusive domain of the few who are so inclined towards the esoteric realm of its intellectualized beauty. Art is something that we can all partake, understand and enjoy.

It is understandable how you might feel intimidated by the grandness of all that art. And yet, once you get started, there’s really nothing to it. To get you started, here are five things you can do today:

1. Thanks to the Internet, you can begin your journey into the world of art right from the comfort of your own home. For starters, do a search and check out the numerous art museums and galleries online. Almost all of the world’s major museums today as well as majority of the leading art galleries have a web presence. Look around and see what might interest you.
2. As you look around, and little by little, try to learn the “basics” of art. It’s actually very simple. Knowing the basics will lead to better art appreciation and helps you develop and refine your taste. You should know that learning art is a never-ending lifelong process. We are all forever students of art. For sure, there is always something new and interesting to learn. Just keep your mind open, and always curious. All you have to do is to learn one thing at a time, building on your storehouse of knowledge.
3. Take your time with art. There’s no point in rushing it. Savor the experience of discovery. Give yourself the time and the opportunity of exposure to all sorts of art: paintings, sculptures, installations, photography, music, theater, opera, among others. There’s no wrong or right way about how to immerse yourself into it—simply go in and enjoy.
4. Nobody can tell you but yourself what to like about art. Trust yourself when it comes to which particular art works and which particular artists will appeal to you. The true magic of art is how it wraps around you. From the things you see, discover what you like. In the same way, do not worry about ignoring those that you don’t like. You can focus only on a few things that interest you instead of wanting to like everything. That’s how a lot of people usually deal with art. However, this doesn’t mean that you should close yourself to further and even unexpected explorations. Simply keep an open mind to the other forms of art, let things flow, and allow yourself to be seduced by it. In time, you’ll know what you really want.
5. Make it an enjoyable journey or adventure. Other than the Internet, you can learn about art from newspapers and magazines, as well as from books and catalogs. With friends and family, you can schedule regular visits to nearby museums and galleries. You can attend art show launches or listen to artists when they talk about their art. You can explore art fairs. And also, you can try your hand at art by participating in workshops and seminars.

You may not realize that even if you think you’re not into art, you may in fact already be enjoying art. Anything and everything all around you that’s man-made, from the things you buy to the things you do, may already be somehow connected to art. You may not see these connections and you may not exactly think that you are actively engaging in art, but our society is so constructed that the richness of art actually permeates all aspects of our day-to-day experiences. When you learn more about art, you will begin to recognize just how integral and important it is in your life.

Contact Dominique James at djphotographer@mac.com or visit his fine art photography website at Zatista.