How To Visit an Art Museum

Just go.It’s really that simple. I could stop there, but I won’t – as simple as this answer is, visiting an art museum is largely perceived as anything but by many people. In today’s society, art is more accessible to the public than it has ever been before. Opportunities to experience art in person – and, often, for free – abound, yet many people are held back from taking advantage of such opportunities due to preconceived notions about what the experience “should” be like.Historically, the art world has almost always served the tastes and leisure time of upper-class society. Despite gradually opening its fortress-like doors to the masses, it has failed to shed its front of exclusivity and pretentiousness over time. Today, the common belief that one has to act, feel, and see things a certain way within the context of a museum setting seems to discourage people from even attempting to interact with art in such a space at all.I have spoken to many different people, all of whom are united behind the sentiment that they’re somehow not cut out to be museum-goers. They support this reasoning by claiming that they are unable to immediately “get” what others say they should from the art before them. What I wish to say in return is something along the lines of, “No shit!”My frustration is not directed towards the people who experience this generally unpleasant sense of cultural paralysis. Rather, I empathize – I’ve been there. I’m there constantly. I experience the very same sense of intimidation every single time I venture into the often-sterile confines of an art gallery. My frustration is projected toward the societal expectation that such bewilderment is an “incorrect” response – that art isn’t for everyone, but rather for an intellectual elite of sorts. That it is for a race of superior beings able to rattle off materials used, identify period styles, and extract meaning from a work seconds after it meets their eye.Yes, there are people out there that can do just that. Are these people superior? No. Just different. Like with any area of interest, these people – art historians, practicing artists, academics – have devoted a good portion of their lives to studying art and, thus, are able to apply what they have learned when confronted with the subject of their study. Why do we expect the greater public to be able to do the same? And why do we make the inherently simple act of being in the presence of art out to be so much more?My hope is that with time, exposure, and acceptance, the would-be museumgoers will share in the understanding that lack of understanding is at the core of the experience. Unlike so many facets of our society, art doesn’t always offer us answers. Often, it raises questions that may be innately unanswerable – an uncomfortable experience considering the information culture we live in today. Embracing the challenging, humbling sensation of not knowing all of the answers to the questions made visible by artists provides us with an unparalleled opportunity to learn about the past, the present, others, and ourselves.Returning to my original suggestion, one begins their desensitization to such an unnecessarily exclusive notion of art by simply going to a museum. It shouldn’t have to be treated like a religious pilgrimage if it isn’t that to you. Remind yourself that you’re simply looking at things that others have made – something you do every day when you see architecture, watch television, or read a book. Go alone or go with friends. Go for a long time or go for a short time. Go more than once. Go in any way that makes you feel comfortable – just go. Mere exposure can change so much. Be in the space of the museum, look around, and know that just being there is enough. There are no boxes to tick. No one is testing you on the “authenticity” of your experience.There is no “correct” way to experience art. This statement covers a great deal of the worries that can arise once inside the museum. The spotlight effect may be overwhelming: you may feel that people are noticing the way in which you take in art much more than they actually are. In such a cerebral, quiet space where the main activity is just looking, try to combat this sensation by remembering that others (like you) are here to see art. Not you! Don’t worry about your posture, externalizing your thoughts to others, or the amount of time you spend in front of each piece – unless it’s crowded and you’ve had your fair share. Just focus on what’s in front of you and what you’re feeling in response to it.Accept that the artist’s intention does not have to align with your own interpretation of the work. Art is subjective. Many of the most well-established academic interpretations of artworks don’t agree with what the artist intended. People continue to study art history because, with new cultural lenses, artworks are interpreted differently over time. If art history was about finding one “correct” answer to a work, the discipline wouldn’t exist. Disagreement is important. It speaks to our differing life experiences, perspectives, and values as people. In this sense, what you see in an artwork allows you to learn about what is important to you, but also to consider what informs others who do not share your unique background. There is no “wrong” or “right,” only what is widely accepted and what is personal. All of this depends on cultural and historical context.Everything that you feel in relation to what you see is valid. If you like a work, great. If you dislike a work, great. Try to ask yourself why you feel the way you do. What do you like/dislike about it? You may learn something about yourself through this process. If you can answer these questions, that’s all well and good. If you cannot, there’s nothing wrong with that. Accept the inexplicable. So much of viewing art is confronting emotions elicited from what is seen. Emotions can be difficult to express or rationalize even in the face of daily life events, so don’t expect to have a clear-cut explanation of why you feel the way you do about a piece in such a situation. Just take your reaction as a chance to empathize with a creator or even other spectators. Think about all the other people who have felt the way you have – despite their individual life experiences – when encountering such a piece. Remember that you are not alone.Allow yourself to feel stupid. There are so few opportunities in today’s world for one to be confronted with the fact that we know so little about ourselves, those around us, and the world as a whole. We search for and are provided with simple solutions. It’s so easy to turn off or swipe past an opinion or experience that we don’t want to understand. We often choose not to be confronted by our own ignorance and take solace in insulating ourselves with what we already know. Museums provide quite the opposite experience, reminding us that alienation is inevitable and necessary. It can become painfully obvious that one may not have the shared experiences to readily grasp the meaning of or relate to the emotion expressed by a work. This leads one to do something that is considered less and less desirable as time goes by: ask and attempt to answer questions. Consider: What does this say about cultures of the past? What does this say about contemporary society? Why did this artist do what they did the way they did? Why is this piece even considered art? The fact that these questions arise at all shows that they – and whatever their answers are – are significant to our experience as humans. It’s okay – preferable, even – to not have answers. Awareness that these matters are in need of a resolution is what is most important because their consideration has allowed people to understand differing cultural perspectives over time. Overall, forcing yourself outside to question the familiar and embrace the strange can promote deeper understanding of the self, conceptions of the “other,” and the world we all share. It’s the difficult thing to do, but you’ll be better for it.Going to an art museum is simple. What is difficult is challenging the unrealistic and exclusive expectations that plague such a potentially meaningful activity. By immersing oneself in the act of viewing art for what it is, not overthinking what “should” be seen and how, one can make personal discoveries and broaden their cultural perspectives. Don’t let the purposeful impersonality of the museum setting detract from the highly personal experience facilitated by seeing works of art in the flesh. Being in the presence of art is important because of what is personally taken away by each individual viewer. Art is meant to be interacted with to create a dialogue, internal or otherwise, in relation to its place in our social history. It is on display, in a gallery setting (which, though quiet, is meant to facilitate discussion) specifically for this reason. And, though challenging at times, it’s a beneficial and often enjoyable process that connects us to our fellow man across time and space. It shows us that humans are capable of feeling, expressing, creating, and relating despite all of our differences.Maya Angelou put it best: “Find some beautiful art and admire it, and realize that that was created by human beings just like you, no more human, no less.”Just go.