Contemporary Art is not the easiest subject in the world, it goes without saying, but you don’t need to be an art expert to enjoy an art exhibit or to view contemporary artworks in a museum.  Not even the art experts, art critics, art collectors, or even the artists themselves can definitively define what contemporary art is, as it has become increasingly complex and complicated in the last three centuries, with the advent of Modern Art.  In the old days, art used to be whatever was “beautiful,” what was aesthetically pleasing, what made your stomach flutter or your heart soar.  Today, however, art can be anything—it can make you feel queasy or disgusted, it can make you feel alienated or frightened, or it can simply baffle you or make you scratch your head and say, “How is this art when my dog can do better than this?”  All these surprises, questions, and bafflements are all part of the experience of art and are the very things that make art imperative and relevant in contemporary life.

Space

Think of the art gallery, art exhibit, or art space as part of the work itself, contributing to how the artworks cohere or relate as a whole. In fact, the space provides a context for viewing art and it is in this context where, once you are inside the gallery, you can shut out the mundane and everyday thoughts that run in your mind all day and tell yourself, “hey, it’s time to look at art.”  But then again, the mundane and everyday are also popular contemporary large canvas art subjects so you don’t necessarily have to let go of these thoughts completely when viewing art.  What you need to keep in mind is that contemporary art is relative, inconsistent, and often self-contradicting (which exactly mirrors contemporary times).   Whether you are viewing wood wall hangings or canvas art paintings, let your mind remain free and open to the experience.

Predisposition

Art need not be serious and you don’t have to adopt a somber disposition when viewing art.  A lot of contemporary art is actually funny and is meant to be funny, or to be “a joke.”  When viewing an exhibit, it is best not to have concrete expectations and to simply allow yourself to be surprised, to wonder and to wander.  Do not look for “beauty” or “inspiration” or “aesthetics” intentionally, or try to define the artworks through abstract concepts.  Instead, try to be impressionable, like a child discovering something new and wondering what the object or thing is about, making free associations of its possible meanings, usefulness, or relevance.  Don’t be afraid of nonsense as a lot of contemporary art deals with nonsense. If you are baffled and want to rationalize everything that you see, think of how nonsensical your dreams are and how paintings and artworks can work in the same nonsensical stream or juxtapositions.  When you have a model of what art should be in your mind and you make the artwork fit according to that model, chances are you will become frustrated.     

Process

Looking at art can be an artistic process in itself. Going to the gallery, you can note or observe the people who attend, and this can add to the context of the artworks.  Make a run-through of the artistic works and make a mental note of what had an impact on you, what disturbed you, or whatever called your attention, whether positively or negatively.  Read the labels or titles as you go along. After the initial walk-through, read the artist write-up and view the artworks for the second time with the intention of the artist in mind, as well as your impressions.