Four days. 17 museums and galleries. 54 postcards and counting...
For the past four days I have been in Vienna, Austria. Every available hour has been spent in museums, palaces and art galleries. I have had the pleasure of experiencing art from Egyptian to Medieval to impressionism and all the way to modern. I stood in front of enormous canvases filled with tiny detailed figures and later that day I was standing in a palace looking at a modern exhibition of warped mirrors.
Vienna has proved to be enlightening on all levels-- Experiencing Klimt, Schiele, Raphael, Manet, Monet, Degas, Van Gogh (again!) and so many others. My eyes were refreshed to the diversity of the word art and I ate up every moment.
One brilliant piece of advice that I have learnt from my dear friend Daryl was that even if you don't enjoy the art you are looking at, take a step back and ask why. What about the artwork creates the emotion of distaste? Or are you numb? Discover why something gives you a negative or blank reaction, explore the art and learn about it. In the process of deciphering the odd shapes in front of you, try and understand the artist's vision. Were they successful? Does the art mean anything to you? Does it have a story? Title? Colour?
Once I slow down and take in every piece of art-- not just my favourites, I learn a valuable lesson. A lesson in communication, in symbols and in styles.
Any reaction is a good reaction. You want people to be stirred up by your art and create a response. Once I reacted to the art, I knew the artist had my attention and it was time to explore their vision.
More posts about my trip will follow! Off to Budapest, Hungary in the morning!
All the best,
Sam Kaczur