How to Talk about Art When You Don’t Know Those Tricky Isms: 4 Practical Tips to Sound Like an Art Enthusiast
By Farid Mohammadi
Art Or Not Art
Let me set the record straight: You don’t need to be an Art Historian who graduated, for example, from a 300-year-old University in Austria, Scotland, or Italy to say what you like and appreciate and what you dislike. You don’t really need to know complex technical terms such as Fauvism, Cubism, Chiaroscuro, Contrapposto, Abstract Expressionism, or Trompe L’oeil to express your inner feelings and immediate responses towards a painting, sculpture, or a piece of music. Although some might disagree, let’s try to do away with frowning, eyebrow-raising, and squinting till the end of this article.
Art has always been an essential part of our lives. As unique creatures, we can have complex opinions about various forms of art and artistic activities, and nothing should stop us from sharing our views publically. The key is to be simple and avoid making our art-related conversations complicated and vague.
Recently, I have had an interesting discussion with a group of friends who asked me how to respond to a creative work to sound intellectual without using technical art terms. What do you do when someone asks your opinion about, let’s say, a painting, and the question is enough to make you break into a cold sweat. Because the more you think to remember an art term, the more conversation lulls till there is an awkward silence!
Trust Me, I Have Been There, But the Point is, I Didn’t Stay There!
My aim in this article is to give you some tips to express and explain yourself to your target audience easier. A few practical suggestions can really make you sound smarter.
1) Keep it simple
First things first, get off to a good start by avoiding complicated definitions and techniques when you are not well-informed about all those descriptive art terminologies. Interestingly, more often than not, the most simple expression is the most powerful, genuine, and thought-provoking.
2) Be Honest with Yourself
It’s okay not to know precisely why you like or dislike an art object. But it could get worse if you start bluffing your way through some reasons you’re unsure about. But if you talk about your immediate responses, you will seem genuine and knowledgeable.
3) Volley the Chit-Chat
Avoid repeating yourself or straying from what it is you are trying to say. Answer the question with an economy of words, and then try asking something back. For example,
Is There a Story Behind This Painting?
What Does This Art Mean to You?
What Do We Know about The Artist After Viewing This Artwork?
What Emotions Do You Feel When Looking at This?
Asking questions allows you to save yourself from fumbling for an answer or taking too much to do all the talking!
4) Be a Storyteller
Remember, we all love stories, and art and storytelling are integrated into the fabric of one another. Every piece of art feels like it has its own story to tell. So, try constructing a plausible storyline between that piece of art and your own life experiences. For example,
“The form, color, and shape of the object in question remind me of something I have seen/experienced before…, and back then, I felt this/that…, but now I feel my perspective has changed because of this/that…”
Try using this effective formula that I learned during my Art Criticism classes back in my University days:
1) Observe a work of art.
2) Notice the visible traits.
3) Highlight 1 or 2 key features of it.
4) Evaluate your responses (are you feeling sad, happy, intrigued, etc.).
5) Think about a period in your life that you had experienced similar feelings towards something.
6) Connect your present responses to a specific life experience.
7) Express yourself by constructing a story for the listeners.
Final Words
Definitely, there will be various moments where you will be challenged to talk about Arts, artifacts, and creative activities throughout your life. In this article, my goal has been to give you some simple and practical tips to enjoy expressing yourself rather than feeling frustrated and helpless when gathering your thoughts. I hope it works out for you!
Feel free to leave a comment below, and let me know what you think!
