Art Museums Aren't Just For Art Enthusiasts | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Entertainment

Art Museums Aren't Just For Art Enthusiasts

Go and see images of pigment on cave walls, see the remaining fragments of once towering Greek monuments, see ten thousand different interpretations of love, loss, and spirituality, and in doing so, see the history of humanity.

207
Art Museums Aren't Just For Art Enthusiasts
A. Currell

As an Art History major, I happen to enjoy spending time in art museums more than your average student. I enjoy reading about the artists and the pieces, and I like reflecting on books that I’ve read, lectures I’ve attended and ideas that I’ve learned about as I wander. I enjoy bringing a sketchbook and pencils and sitting in front of a singular piece for hours, trying to capture the curve of one of Picasso’s female nudes or the flawless precision of a Magritte.

Of course, I understand that it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but that doesn’t mean you can’t try a little bit harder to appreciate art and its significance. Just because you don’t like history, or don’t understand why that blue canvas is considered art doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t try to like it or try to understand it. In a world where it seems like people are often ignorant, let’s make it a goal to be cultured. Let’s go and see paintings that aren’t the Mona Lisa, and stray outside of the mainstream. There is something to be appreciated in art that isn’t known by everyone, and there is something to be appreciated by seeing them in person. It is much too easy to say your favorite artist is Picasso without studying Kandinsky, Ernst or Mondrian. Without getting up close to these artworks, it becomes increasingly difficult to see the creator behind them. When you can physically see the brushstrokes and in some, the pencil lines underneath the paint, and it’s as if you can visualize the artist behind the work as they physically make those marks.

Art, whether you choose to believe it or not, is one of the most incredible symbols of the power of humans. Through the denial of witnessing the evolution of our creativity, you are denying yourself understanding of how we, as humans, have developed. Humans were putting pigment to cave walls before we understood how to farm. This history is hugely important, and while it is not necessary for everyone to study it, I think that it’s vital people take two days out of their year to go see art. I think that people other than Art History majors need to appreciate our history of creating and the incredible skill and thought art requires. And yes, you definitely won’t be an art museum regular like me and my fellow art enthusiasts, but I can guarantee you’ll be happy you went, if you go with an open mind.

Go and see images of pigment on cave walls, see the remaining fragments of once towering Greek monuments, see ten thousand different interpretations of love, loss, and spirituality, and in doing so, see the history of humanity.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

198399
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

19764
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

Power of Love Letters

I don't think I say it enough...

461561
Illistrated image of a letter with 2 red hearts
StableDiffusion

To My Loving Boyfriend,

  • Thank you for all that you do for me
  • Thank you for working through disagreements with me
  • Thank you for always supporting me
  • I appreciate you more than words can express
  • You have helped me grow and become a better person
  • I can't wait to see where life takes us next
  • I promise to cherish every moment with you
  • Thank you for being my best friend and confidante
  • I love you and everything you do

To start off, here's something I don't say nearly enough: thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You do so much for me that I can't even put into words how much I appreciate everything you do - and have done - for me over the course of our relationship so far. While every couple has their fair share of tiffs and disagreements, thank you for getting through all of them with me and making us a better couple at the other end. With any argument, we don't just throw in the towel and say we're done, but we work towards a solution that puts us in a greater place each day. Thank you for always working with me and never giving up on us.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Signs You Grew Up In Hauppauge, NY

Because no one ever really leaves.

28692
Map of Hauppauge, New York
Google

Ah, yes, good old Hauppauge. We are that town in the dead center of Long Island that barely anyone knows how to pronounce unless they're from the town itself or live in a nearby area. Hauppauge is home to people of all kinds. We always have new families joining the community but honestly, the majority of the town is filled with people who never leave (high school alumni) and elders who have raised their kids here. Around the town, there are some just some landmarks and places that only the people of Hauppauge will ever understand the importance or even the annoyance of.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments