What is an art gallery? Art galleries are venues where various forms of art and works of various artists are displayed to public. Among the various forms of art like photography, sculpture, art illustrations, handloom etc. showcasing of paintings are common. The prime objective of art gallery is to promote art and inspire the young artists. Art galleries can be regarded as the best place for art lovers and artists to acquire knowledge related to art. Both the species can share their interest and concentrate in promoting art among the public. In the art galleries, various works of admired artists are displayed and are preserved for the next generation. The collection of art galleries are rapidly changing. Moreover, the tradition of showcasing art has been shifted from venues to online. Artists and art aficionados can upload their work online and can send it to their friends through emails and e-cards. The art gallery is classified into private and public galleries. The public galleries display permanent collection of art. Whereas, private galleries carry the private-owned for profit-motive and sale works of art. Fresh artists will find art gallery and art festivals as niche to exhibit their skills. They can reveal their ideas to the world. The art galleries feature a wide range of art forms. Many galleries carry world wide significance and visitors visit the galleries across the world. People evaluate the works of art and also get a chance to purchase the work they think to be worthy. There are numerous art galleries imparting knowledge and inform art lovers about the changing ideas related to art along with creating a platform for the unsung artists. Art gallery is also a great place to meet art heroes personally. The art lovers can have a vivid insight into the artists’ psychology and their skills to shape their ideas. So, to know art and artists in a better way visiting art galleries are rewarding and essential.
Posts Tagged ‘Meaning’
Meaning of Art Gallery
December 23rd, 2009Drawing From Meaning: Finding Self Through Art
December 21st, 2009Art therapy is a modality in the psychology field that’s focus is on the transformative power of nonverbal language. Because art therapy brings together the fields of art and psychology, it integrates visual arts, human development, behavior, mental health, creative process, imagination and personality. It is based on the belief that the act of art making can help us understand more of who we are, enhance lives, and lead us towards personal growth through self-expression. Although art therapy as a modern profession is quite new, creative expression through visual art is one of the oldest forms of healing in history. This is the way that mankind began expressing itself as a means of communication on cave walls, through hieroglyphics and within sand paintings. Art has always been a way to express the deepest of sorrow as well as the most joyous of moments. The expression of these many varied emotions has brought catharsis and self-awareness to many an accomplished artist and non-artist. How Can Art Be Healing? Art therapy enables people to express themselves in areas that are impossible to express in words. Since art expression does not occur, as a linear process as is found in spoken language, there is the ability to allow ambiguous, confusing and contradictory elements to show up in the art. This ability of art to contain paradoxical elements helps people more easily integrate and synthesize conflicting feelings and experiences. . . The sensory qualities of art making are a way to move more readily into our emotions and perceptions than spoken word alone. The tactile quality of the art materials allows us to integrate healing qualities such as the ability to relax, self-soothe, and enhance emotional catharsis. The art making process can literally be a means of “cleansing” to discharge strong emotions for relief. The alleviation of stress and anxiety through creative expression can then offer a physiological response of reduced blood pressure, decreased heart rate and respiration, while pleasure enhancing biochemicals such as serotonin and endorphins are increased. Expressive art also touches us at a soul level by enabling people to overcome feelings of existential emptiness and disconnection that is often felt in our modern culture. It allows us to become more connected to our inner selves in relationship to “other,” the world, and spirit. In doing so, art making becomes an enlivening and energizing experience. It helps us grow, self-actualize and problem-solve more readily. We find new ways of seeing. Who Can Benefit From Art Therapy? A common misperception of art therapy is that people need to be artistically inclined in order to participate. The beauty of art as therapy is that artistic ability is not required, because art expression in any form is embraced. The goal here is not that one make masterpieces, but rather to have an understanding and acceptance that everyone has an innate ability to be creative. Through the process of creating one can gain personal insight, new perspective, and have an opportunity to transform. What is an Art Therapy Session Like? In all forms of psychotherapy, the presence of a professional facilitator is a central aspect to the healing process. Having a safe, trusting relationship with an art therapist along with the making of art enhances the potential growth within the client. Within an art therapy session, the therapist can serve as a supportive guide to clients’ exploration of materials, help with the examination of content and meaning of images, and be a compassionate witness to the artists’ expressions. The therapist’s non-judgmental presence can be the impetus for a client to take risks, build self-esteem skills and find insight during sessions. These new found skills could then translate further into his or her daily life, thus allowing for transformation to occur. Did You Know. . . •That 97% of 2,000 hospitals surveyed had implemented expressive arts programs. •That CareerBuilder. com, recognizing it’s increased popularity and validity in the mental health field, rated art therapy as one of the top 10 careers of 2007. •That art therapy has been acknowledged as a “mind-body intervention” by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, in recognition of the power of self-expression and creative process in mental, physical, and spiritual health.
The Meaning of Art
December 18th, 2009When I refer to “art” here, I am referring specifically to visual art, and more specifically to painting because that’s what I do. But I’m sure it applies to other forms of art as well. Art can have very concrete, literal meaning to it—the more representational a work of art is, the easier it is to attribute a meaning to it. Everyone understands realistic representations of things from real life—for example, paintings of trees—when looking at one, you can say, “It’s a painting of trees, and trees are lovely to look at—that’s the obvious purpose of this art; no mystery there. ” This is why purely abstract art tends to appeal to a smaller audience. It is common to want to know what you are looking at so you can place a literal meaning on it. But art, even art that is fairly straightforward in its subject matter, has a larger and deeper meaning that goes beyond the literal. This larger and deeper meaning is not intellectual in nature—it is emotional. All you need in order to “get” art is to look at it and become fascinated, motivated, influenced, impressed, inspired, or otherwise stimulated by it. All you need is to feel a connection to the art. Most people do feel a connection when looking at art (not all art, of course, but the art that particularly appeals to them personally. ) Putting this feeling into words can sometimes be difficult, but just because you can’t always explain it in concrete terms does not mean it’s not real or important, and it does not mean you are missing anything. If you look at a piece of art and feel nothing, all it means is that particular piece of art is not meant for you. If you look at enough art, you will learn what you like and what has the most meaning for you. The artist has the job of living, feeling, and processing her unique experience and then finding a way to express that to others. The viewer may or may not get the same feelings that the artist meant to express—and that is okay. One of the fun things about art is how different people interpret it differently. Art is the physical manifestation of a mysterious human force: imagination. If it sparks your imagination or puts you in a certain mood, then you “get it. ” And that’s nice…But how does all of this apply to real life? What is the point of art—what is its use? Well here’s where choice comes in. Once you look at enough art to realize what you like, what you connect to, you get to make the choice to surround yourself with those things that inspire you and help you in your life. The trick is to figure out what you really, really love—when you find it you will know. If you realize that a certain shade of red makes you happy and energized, making the conscious choice to put something of that color in your living room so you see it every day will, in theory, make you a more happy and energized person. When your spirit feels heavy and sad, art can help lift you out of that. When you feel bogged down by apathy or lost in painful frustration, looking at art can bring you back to yourself and help you keep going. Deliberately creating a mood in your immediate surroundings can help you to create the life that you want, in a very tangible way. This interpretation of art’s meaning is obviously the result of my optimistic, existential outlook on life. I try to apply my energy—mental, emotional, physical and spiritual, towards personal transformation and growth. But art has a myriad of uses: it is used as a tool for psychological healing, a symbol in spiritual rituals, an impetus for political or social change, an expression of inquiry, a form of entertainment, evidence of status or identity, a reminder of what’s important, and most commonly, a simple celebration of beauty. You can decide what meaning art may have in your own life. It’s up to you! So, what does art mean to you? How will you choose to use it?
