How to learn to talk about artwork
“The Artists’ Salon is a public forum that opens the doors to the creative process. Artists bring work at any level of completion and anyone is welcome to take part in constructive discussion within an informal and relaxed atmosphere.”
Often when presented with contemporary artwork, people feel excluded. “This is not for you” seems to be the message that many people receive from work in galleries and museums. Work with million dollar price tags. Bananas duct-taped to walls. How do you begin to talk about artwork if you don’t know where to start?
I attended The Artist’s Salon last night, which is organised and hosted by the artist Cally Shadbolt.
I brought this photograph of a mustard seed from my recent installation GENERATION.
My first takeaway from the event was that time management is crucial. Often, without time management by the organizers of this type of event, a lot of time can be given to one piece or it can drag on for hours. Cally simply divided the two-hour time slot between the number of artists and then kept us to that schedule. It sounds simple, and it is. If you are hosting a meeting, first think about time management.
Cally facilitated discussions by starting with the observable details. It appears to be a painting. It is a rectangle about 4’x6’ before allowing the discussion to move on more organically. This made the discussion analyse the work itself, not just how we felt about it. This was effective for creating a non-judgmental and helpful but serious and thought-provoking atmosphere.
It’s easy to begin with our emotional reaction: “I love it!” or “It’s ugly” or questions: “Is it good?” “Is it art?”
But starting with what we can observe allows us to respond more carefully. More thoughtfully. To question our preconceptions. This is a skill that applies far beyond talking about art.
Some guidelines for critique from The Art Assignment.
So how do you learn to talk about artwork? Just like anything else, like writing a blog or drawing realism, you practice.