How to Talk About Art Like You're Smart

If you hate going to Museums and Art Galleries you are not alone. Paintings, sculptures, photography – what is it all about? You don’t have to take a slew of Art History classes to appreciate and enjoy art. All you really need to do is make a couple of informed comments and you’ll sound like you’ve been in on it all along. Here’s a list of few things you can mention the next time you find yourself confounded at your local art showing.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Work of Art to discuss

1. Take the work in. Allow yourself a couple of minutes to really look at it, and note your own impressions. You don’t have to like it, and don’t be afraid to say so if you don’t.
2. Is it a Portrait, a Landscape or Still Life? All you are really looking at here is whether it is a person, a place or a thing.
3. Is it in a natural setting or a surreal one? Taking note of these aspects can inform you of what the artist is trying to visually communicate. Refer to “what” it is as the “Content.” Refer to where people or objects are within the work as the “Composition.” If people or objects are unnaturally shaped, floating in space or interacting in ways that defy logic, you can likely, safely, categorize it as “surreal.”
4. Realism verses Expressionistic - Does it look real like a photograph? Then note the artist’s superior technique in portraying such a life-like image, and his or her attention to the details. Is it blurry, fuzzy or appear to be created by only utilizing dots? Then it is considered to be “Expressionistic.” Mention this, especially in connection to the artist’s ability to tear down pre-conceived notions of realism in art.
5. Form, Line and Shape. Making comments on the artwork’s “Form” or “Line” can be very effective in sounding smart taking about art. Form and Line generally refer to the how the subjects are shaped in the piece. When something has “Form” it is created with shading and texture, and will look fairly realistic. Comment on the beauty of the artist’s “brush stroke.” When something is created with “Line,” people and objects will have more apparent outlines, and will maybe appear more cartoon-like. Make comments on whether the Forms and Lines seem to express movement or if they are static. Has the artist created a composition entirely out of shapes? Comment on how the shapes resemble the subject.
6. Abstraction. The most important thing not to say when you encounter an Abstract Expressionist work is, “My kid could do that.” Yes, your kid probably could do that, but that is not the point. Abstractionism in the 20th Century was a radical movement in response to the history of all art movements that came before it. Abstract work is best responded to emotionally. If all else fails, you can discuss what it appears to resemble.
7. Trust your own opinion. Art is meant to elicit emotion and reaction. There is no right or wrong answer when talking about art. The most important thing is your attempt at understanding it.