Steeped in centuries of conflicting criticism between art historians, academicians and collectors, visual art can be an intimidating world to insert yourself in, even as a passer by at an art gallery. But art is for everybody, and you don’t have to understand it to enjoy it; rather you should look inwards to ascertain how it makes you feel and what you think it’s all about. The rise of abstract art and its ambiguous subjects within the last century has made it even easier to take a wholly subjective approach to interpreting what you see before you.  

At Ballroom Arts, we are lucky to host the collections of emerging and eminent living contemporary artists who have brought with them interpretations of the East Anglian landscape, abstract representations of their subconscious, and the critical challenging of global issues just to name a few… 

We have written this brief beginner’s guide to exercise your mind when looking at art in the hope that you can connect with and respond to art more intimately in the future.

Careful Curation

When you enter a contemporary art exhibition, you are often greeted with a room using very specific lighting conditions, colours, caption typography, music, and even scent (such as Maisie Cousins’ 2017 exhibition) that set a tone for the work you’re about to explore. Whether or not you realise it, the curation of an exhibition indicates a subliminal message or even just a feeling to the viewer, immersing their senses as they study the artworks contained within the space. The layout of art around the space is sometimes used for storytelling: for example the Women In Revolt! exhibition at Tate Britain (2023-2024), which is presented chronologically and is staged using critical themes representing women’s activism in the late 20th century. 

TIP: When you enter an art exhibition, pay attention to your senses, and consider all of the subtle decisions made in the curation of the event. Consider the following:

• How does the lighting showcase the artwork? 
• What colours dominate the space, and why do you think this is the case?
• What can you hear? Does a use of sound make you feel something specific about the artwork collection?
• Is there anything you’re allowed to touch? Does this make you feel closer to the artist’s creative process?

Take your time!

Some exhibitions are so expansive and trace the path of a huge history of art that it can be overwhelming to study everything placed within. You don’t have to intensely absorb every single artwork and its intended context when you visit an exhibition. Instead browse the works within the space and find one or two that draw you in to spend more time with.

This practice of ‘slow looking’ encourages you to question more about the work, the artist’s intention and how it makes you feel.

TIP: Find somewhere comfortable to sit or stand and explore the following when slow looking to engage more thoroughly with the work:

• What are your first impressions when looking at the artwork? Do you like it? If not, why?
• What can you see, and what do you think this means? Is this enhanced by the curatorial choices outlined above? 
• If you’re with a friend or you strike up a conversation with a stranger at the show, why not talk about that artwork and see what they think. Maybe this will confirm your theories, or may lead you to even more questions!

Even if you just look at one artwork for 10 minutes, you’ll be sure to remember it and take away more from the overall experience!

What’s the Story?

Considering paintings and photographs for a moment- these works can sometimes be busy with lots of different things happening at once, or maybe they present several objects that allude to certain symbolism. These layers can be unravelled to reveal a theme or story. 

TIP: Pick one artwork and challenge yourself with this exercise whilst asking yourself the following questions:

• Just look at the artwork. What can you see? Is it a figurative work with lots of things happening? What is happening? If it’s abstract, how do you think the choice of colour, shape and texture tells a story? 
• Now look at the artwork label. Who is the work by? Does this tell us anything more about the artwork and its possible intentions? If there is a title for the artwork, does this help you to draw any more conclusions, or does it confuse you even more? 
• Next, study the artwork caption or exhibition introduction. Does this tell you what the art is about, or where the work is situated within the wider cultural context? How does that make you feel now that you know more? Remember- your ideas or opinions are always valid as a spectator, it doesn’t matter if they deviate from what the artist wants you to see.

Final Thoughts

Don’t feel intimidated if your theories differ from the artist’s intention- they are equally valid interpretations and add to the wide and complex web of ideas surrounding the artwork. 

Enjoy taking your time, asking yourself questions and going in feeling a little naive about the artist or the topic- you’ll be sure to come out learning something new.