The Museum and the Aesthetic Experience

To artists, art historians, art educators, art enthusiasts, and many, many others, the museum has become a sacred space of sorts. To many people the art museum is foreign territory. It's a strange place of strange objects and strange ideas. Very little in the museum is not intimidating - either because the art is finely crafted, or the subject matter is foreign, or the concept behind itself is just not easily understood. The way in which the work is displayed many times to be inaccessible to the viewer, even times placed 'on a pedestal.' Velvet ropes and guards with badges sometimes intrude on the enjoyment of a work. Mrs. B goes to museums alone many times to enjoy the works, to pay respect to the ideas and craftsmanship, and to not be interrupted in her aesthetic experience by Mr. B's remarks.

We all have different styles of living, of being, and of experienceing the museum - if we visit one at all. I came upon an article about this very topic, you can view it here:

http://www.2blowhards.com/archives/002279.html

Did you know: the average time spent viewing a work of art at a museum is between 30 seconds and two minutes? That varies by age, and if it is your first time visiting the exhibit or not. 65% of museum visitors do not even look at every work in the exhibit. (Human-Computer Interaction - Interact'01 By Michitaka (EDT) Hirose, Published by IOS Press, Page 440 )

Imagine how much time the painter spent creating the work. How much time did the artist ponder over the idea behind the work? How many trips to the art supply store did they make? All for thirty seconds to two minutes of viewing on average. I remember going to the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena, and spending four hours there. I had an assignment to write a paper on one painting from one artist. I ended up going during the weekday, finding the painting I selected to study, and sitting on the floor in front of it. I was taking notes and detailing my observations when the guard changed shifts. The new guard offered to bring me a chair from the front desk. Realizing that I had enough notes for my paper, I declined, gathered my scribblings and stretched my legs, then explored the rest of the museum. At the end of my '30-second stroll' from work to work, my eyes needed a break. Luckily, the Norton Simon has a peaceful and extraordinarily beautiful garden courtyard, perfect for resting the over-stimulated eyes and mind.

John Dewey wrote about the 'aesthetic experience'. I won't bore you with the details, of which there are too many. I'll try to sum up in my own feeble writings what took him volumes and books to do:
The aesthetic experience is that moment of encountering a work of art, a natural wonder, a moment in time, (etc.) in which you are entirely present. There is a profound personal understanding and interaction between you and the work/environment/moment. The second you are aware of the experience, or try to name it, it's gone. It no longer exists.

In our instant-gratification society with increasing technology and decreasing attention spans and spare time, these experiences may be increasingly difficult to come by. According to Dewey, they don't happen if you try for them, either. You can't construct the aesthetic experience - only be open to experiencing it.

I have been back to the Norton Simon a few times, because in my '30-second stroll' I noticed works that I wanted to experience further. I had spent so much time with the assignment, that I was unable to have the same aesthetic experience with most of the others. I came close and had much enjoyment and response to many works, but it wasn't the same as that one day. I still remember the smell of the museum dust from the floors as I brushed it off of my book bag when I stood back up. All I remember from my subsequent visits are the other works and the sore feet. I couldn't have recreated the aesthetic experience. I interacted with the works, but they weren't the same. I wasn't the same.

Dear students, you have probably already guessed this week's assignment: Visit an art museum. Take some time to experience and enjoy it. Go with an open mind. If you find that you don't understand the work, remind yourself that it's o.k. to still have mystery in your life. You don't have to have all the answers. The little placard next to the work won't provide ALL the answers anyway. Think about why some works draw you to experience them more than others do. If you really feel up to the challenge, wear a watch with a second-hand. When you find yourself at a work for only a few seconds, make yourself stay for 3 more minutes. Find things in the work to notice. Evidence of brush strokes, carve-marks, or even try to find evidence of mistakes? Ask yourself questions about the work, the content, the medium. 'Why' is one of the most beautiful questions in the world. Ask it. Don't get too hung up in what the artist wants you to 'get' from the work. The work is finished and the artists' job is done. What do YOU get from it?

More advanced students can do research after the visit: Who owns the museum? Are they represented by a company? An Industry? Who curated the museum? What is the exhibit about? What do the owners/curators have to gain by displaying this exhibit? How are things displayed? Is there a narrative in the exhibit? - and some of my personal favorites: How many works from women artists are displayed? How many cultures are represented in the breadth of artists daisplayed? Where are their works placed in the exhibit? Is there significance to the placement?

So, dear students, it's a long weekend but it will pass quickly. Enjoy it.
Experience it.
Look.

Look closer.

By the way, did you play with your new tools? What happened when you tried something new? Did you learn anything about the tools? Did you lean anything about you? Did you have an aesthetic experience? You're welcome to leave comments for us to discuss.

Mrs. B

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