Appeal of Visual Art?

[KazeCraven]

Is it that it's aesthetically pleasing? A subtle pleasure?

Or maybe a piece represents something meaningful?

I never got into art, and thought perhaps I was looking at it the wrong way.

 

[Anthile]

Humans are excellent at recognizing and creating patterns and visual art is exactly this, filtered through the individual and the medium.

 

[speiss]

I can stare at a painting or drawing for hours, but mostly because I draw portraits myself, and gazing at the work that went into it, the lining, the shading, the mix of colors.. it's all fascinating to me, as well as the expression of the subject. Sometimes art can evoke nostalgic feelings, or it can remind you of or create dreams and fantasies. Art is very interesting. Some hate it. Some love it. Some are indifferent. Of course, there is more than one form of art, like writing, sculpting, film-making, music..

 

[Dormouse]

I want to pick it apart and see if I can reproduce the effects.

Perspective, shading, colour choice... All work together to create an illusion, to trick the brain. It's so strange how a few lines can bring to mind an entire landscape.

Also it's pretty.

 

[archimonde]

Is it that it's aesthetically pleasing? A subtle pleasure?

Or maybe a piece represents something meaningful?

I never got into art, and thought perhaps I was looking at it the wrong way.

In terms of fine arts, like a fine piece of painting or sculpture, it is mainly aesthetic beauty. Some of the greatest paintings are the ones that catches your eyes at a first glimps, kind of like when you see some stranger on a street that you find so attractive and just can't help keep staring at.

Post-modern artists such as Banksy are all about delivering the message in the most effective way. I love Banksy because he takes graffiti, which is already a statement of rejection of conformity and authority, and delivers political messages through irony and satire. Banksy wouldn't be famous if he just painted on canvas...

Abstract arts can be quite controvertial. You've heard people say "my 5 years old kid can do that". It took me a while to learn the beauty of artworks by picasso and jackson pollock. I think abstract artworks are acquired taste... And in fact, picasso did say something like 'as you grow up, it becomes harder to paint like a child' because you lose that innocence. People like pollocks are who they are because they are unique. Also, thats why they are so expensive because they are one of a kind.

Lot of post-modern artworks and architecture (which is our zeitgeist) seem to be heavy derived from in search of ones identity, or to be unique. Modernism was all about 'industrial revolution' and creating a utopean society now that we can make billions of toothbrushes and cheap affordable houses, which resulted in repetition and multiplication of everyday objects. Post-modern artists are then all about trying to be different in the seams of millions of other artists, which is a message in itself... So many post-modern artworks are provocative.

 

[DesertSmeagle]

Maybe people look at art and like art that reflects their own personality and mind...i really dont know, but i love surreal art. So interesting to look at.