How to understand and enjoy contemporary art: three art educators share their tips
We talk to three experts, Alex Schady from London’s Central Saint Martins, Bo Zheng from City University’s School of Creative Media and Frank Vigneron from CUHK’s Department of Fine Art to find out the secrets to appreciating contemporary art
What am I looking at and what does it mean? Contemporary art – and there is plenty on show this week as art exhibitions and fairs such as Art Basel Hong Kong and Art Central open across the city – can be both confusing and overwhelming. You can be forgiven for not “understanding” what is in front of you.
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Worry not, we have spoken to three art educators – Alex Schady, the director of Central Saint Martins in London; Bo Zheng, assistant professor at the School of Creative Media in City University; and Frank Vigneron, chair of the Department of Fine Art at Chinese University of Hong Kong – about how we can appreciate art with confidence.
Trust your own judgment
The first piece of advice is simple. “Relax and trust your own judgment,” says Zheng, who believes the ability to appreciate art comes as naturally as enjoying great food. “The first step is to rely on our instincts,” he says. “We have different personalities, genes, cultural backgrounds. We don’t have to appreciate the same kind of art. Contemporary art is wide enough to appeal to almost everybody, as long as you see a wide variety of things and pick up things you truly enjoy.”
Focus on the works that catch your eye