How to Appreciate Contemporary Art

When I wrote down this title, I startled myself. Who am I to tackle such a complex subject in a single essay? Over the past few months, I have visited numerous art exhibitions in Shanghai, the majority of which featured modern and contemporary art—from the Shanghai Biennale's exploration of "non-human intelligence" to the Fluxus avant-garde works at the West Bund Museum to the "Hard Painting" exhibition at the Modern Art Museum, among others. I must admit that, compared to classical artworks, which generally evoke an immediate sense of "beauty" (unless otherwise specified, "beauty" in this essay refers specifically to visual aesthetics), contemporary art does present a higher threshold for appreciation. People often say it's "incomprehensible" or "obscure," and some ask who the audience for modern art is.

If one searches for the defining characteristics of "contemporary art," one typically encounters descriptions along these lines: contemporary art breaks free from the traditional constraints of medium, technique, and aesthetics, emphasizing instead conceptual expression, social critique, cultural reflection, and audience participation. This summary conveys at least two key points: first, that creative methodologies have transcended traditional boundaries, resulting in increasingly diverse forms; and second, that there is a focus on conceptual and emotional expression that extends beyond purely "aesthetic" considerations. If one truly grasps these two points, perhaps contemporary art is not so distant after all.

Throughout art history, art has always been one of humanity's inherent modes of expression. The prehistoric cave paintings of Sulawesi have been humorously described as "drawing a circle to curse you." At that time, humans had not yet entered the Stone Age and spent their days fleeing from ferocious beasts. Thus, they depicted slain animals on cave walls, expressing their aspirations and their desire to survive. Subsequently, art underwent a long period of development—from depicting figures of Greek and Roman mythology to illustrating biblical narratives—all serving as expressions of reverence for the divine and commitment to moral principles. Even during the Italian Renaissance, when artists were employed by powerful religious leaders or wealthy noble families, they would consciously or unconsciously infuse their own style and ideas into their work. Looking at ancient Chinese art history, wenrenhua (literati painting), which emphasizes the expression of personal sentiment and the conveyance of meaning, has always been the mainstream of artistic creation.

A brief digression here: one perspective holds that Western art reached its zenith during the Baroque period, represented by Caravaggio and Bernini. From the standpoint of technical mastery and sensory pleasure, this argument has merit. However, another viewpoint suggests that the status of the Renaissance and its successors in Western art history has been somewhat inflated, because artists of that era, constrained by powerful patrons, were largely unable to create freely, resulting in overly homogeneous aesthetic standards and evaluative criteria. This latter assessment is made from the perspective of "expression," and I personally tend to agree with it.

A variety of "monsters and demons" began to surface as the twentieth century approached. With the development of imaging technology, artworks—particularly paintings—were liberated from the need to achieve verisimilitude and began returning to their essential purpose of "expression." Various "-isms" arrived in rapid succession: Expressionism, Cubism, Abstract Art, Surrealism, Dadaism, Pop Art, Land Art, and countless others. Artists broke free from the constraints of medium, technique, and aesthetic convention and could even create works that subverted the common understanding of the objective world. Behind these artworks, there are often stories being told, emotions being released, ideas being conveyed, and thoughts being expressed. In essence, such art resembles literature, yet with notable differences. Language bears the responsibility of everyday communication and must adhere to relatively strict grammatical rules. Art, however, can break through infinitely, soaring without limits—and therein lies its charm.

Precisely because of this, contemporary art is frequently misunderstood as "obscure and incomprehensible," "absurd and ridiculous," or "heretical and rebellious." A contemporary artwork, unbound by any technique or rule yet carrying much of what the artist wishes to express, results in a high degree of "information entropy" within its given space and time. Meanwhile, viewers cannot approach it as they would a literary work—reading it slowly and carefully based on standardized linguistic knowledge they have acquired. This phenomenon is perhaps the primary reason why contemporary art has such a high threshold for appreciation.

This raises a question: while some artists may create purely for self-gratification with no consideration for an audience, most artworks—especially those displayed in museums and galleries for public viewing—are intended to be understood by viewers. On one hand, we encourage artists to express themselves freely without constraint of form; on the other hand, we hope the public can grasp the emotions and ideas behind the artwork. How can we reconcile this paradox? There are actually methods to address this, which we can discuss another time.

After all possibilities seem to have been exhausted by our predecessors, contemporary art is the product of artists' earnest contemplation about where art should go next. E.H. Gombrich wrote in The Story of Art: "There really is no such thing as Art. There are only artists." His original intent was to illustrate that art has no strict definition and cannot be definitively defined. But in this context, it can also be understood to mean that art should be human-centered. The world and life itself are art.

In summary, contemporary art does not pursue "beauty"—indeed, some works are even "ugly"—and they were created with the primary purpose of expression. Therefore, the principal value of contemporary artworks often lies not in the finished "art object" displayed in museums and galleries, nor even in the elaborate and arduous creative process (though understanding an artist's creative process certainly helps in comprehending the story behind the work), but rather in the thoughts and emotions the artist seeks to express through their creation. Because it does not emphasize technique or rules, contemporary art enables more people to express themselves through the creation of "artworks." On the other hand, appreciating a contemporary artwork requires not only basic cognitive abilities but also the ability to comprehend the creator's intended message. This approach is essentially the same as appreciating literary works—few would give high praise to an essay merely for its elegant prose; what truly moves readers and resonates with them is the author's narrative and the thoughts and emotions expressed within. If the threshold for appreciating traditional art is primarily "aesthetic sensibility," then the threshold for appreciating contemporary art is "empathic capacity." (In fact, a significant portion of a classical artwork's value also depends on the meaning ascribed to it—the Mona Lisa was not even Leonardo da Vinci's proudest work, yet it became representative of the brilliant constellation of Renaissance art because of the legendary stories behind it.) In reality, "empathic capacity" is a faculty that people in our fast-paced modern society tend to overlook.

Therefore, when you enter a gallery to appreciate a contemporary artwork, please abandon preconceptions such as "Let me see what is beautiful about this piece" or "What masterful techniques does this artwork employ?" Instead, strive to understand and experience the emotions and ideas the creator infused into the creative process. And please do not assume this will be a tedious endeavor, for humans possess an innate curiosity about the information hidden within artworks. Once you accomplish this, you will have taken an important step on the path to appreciating contemporary art.