The average person visiting contemporary art galleries or modern art centres at the present time doesn’t understand most of the art works presented. She or he wants to understand the “art works”. Because they can’t understand it or explain it, or find any sense in it, they decide they don’t possess the institutionalised knowledge of contemporary art. They decide they just don’t like it! The secret is: nobody understands it; not the art historian, not the art curator, not even the people who are writing the articles in the art magazines or the introductions in the books. Very often even the artist her/himself doesn’t understand it either. And it is OK! Art doesn’t exist anymore. Most of modern day ‘Art’ isn’t art any more. Nothing is art and everything is art. Art is about personal and emotional engagement. You like it or you do not, you feel it or you do not feel it; it makes you laugh, it makes you cry, it makes you angry, it makes you disgusted. It is OK!  Art is about feeling….or should I say NON-ART is about sensation. Never think about what an artist is trying to convey, concentrate on the piece and what it does with you, how it makes you feel. After all it is your personal experience!

Pablo Picasso said:

Everyone wants to understand art. Why not try to understand the song of a bird? .. People who try to explain pictures are usually barking up the wrong tree.

Contemporary Art in the Community is a joint project between Kasia Turajczyk and econnexus.org. 

The primary aim of the project is to take contemporary art out of galleries and museums, to take it out of artist’s studios, and to show it to all sorts of different people in a variety of environments and locations around South West England.

We would like to discover from the ordinary people of South West England what kind of art they like and what they don’t like. What contemporary art means to them?  Are they interested in art at all? Is there a place for art in their life, living room, kitchen, mind? Or maybe they are not interested in art at all? We will let them see diverse art works and ask them about their feelings, their thoughts, and about them. These are the questions and the items we are going to be asking people.

Maybe we will ask you too!

Contemporary Art in the Community Nr. 1/n

Widemouth Bay, North Cornwall, South West England –  Thursday 29th September 2011