How To Visit Art Galleries
Tips on how to get the most from your visit
Art galleries can be inspiring places to visit, but they can also be baffling. Even the most conscientious art lover will have felt the sensation at least once, of wandering through room after room of art with a growing sense of disorientation.
Art can be enigmatic, composed of ideas and symbols that are not always easy to read or make sense of. Here I want to offer some simple pieces of advice that may make your next trip to an art gallery just a bit more satisfying.
In at least one room you pass through, settle in for a while
My feeling is this: that art galleries are best enjoyed at a glacial pace, where a few meaningful connections are more satisfying than a myriad of momentary glimpses.
To slow yourself down, try pausing for longer than you normally would in one room, preferably a room with a seat (or just a floor). Sit down. Take the weight off your feet. Remove yourself from the ebb-and-flow of the other gallery visitors and begin to have your own experience.
