Hint: it’s not about “getting it”.
Contemporary art can often feel confusing—like a blank canvas, a pile of bricks, or a single red dot on a massive white wall. You may pause, tilt your head, and wonder if what you’re looking at is genius or a scam. You’re not alone!
The truth is, you don’t have to “get it” to engage with contemporary art. Appreciating art isn’t about having the right answers; it’s about asking the right questions. At The Collective, we focus more on how art makes you feel than on what it’s supposed to mean. So, if you’ve ever looked at a piece and thought, “What am I even looking at?”—this space is for you.
✶ Step One: Slow Down
Contemporary art rewards attention. Give it time. Take a breath. Don’t rush to interpret—just look.
Let your eyes wander. Observe the details, the materials, and the space around it. What do you notice first? What pulls you in?
Seeing is an act of presence.
✶ Step Two: Drop the Pressure
Forget the idea that you need an art history degree to have an opinion. Your experience matters. What memories or emotions does the work stir up? What confuses or challenges you?
There is no universal response. And that’s the point.
✶ Step Three: Ask Questions
Swap “What is this supposed to mean?”
for → “What is this making me think about?”
Swap “Is this good or bad?”
for → “Why do I feel uncomfortable, inspired, or bored right now?”
Ask:
- What do I see here?
- What’s the artist choosing to show—or not show?
- What’s the mood, the texture, the tone?
- What does this remind me of? What does it disrupt?
✶ Step Four: Make it Personal
Art is a mirror. If you let it, it can show you something about your fears, desires, and history.
Don’t be afraid to connect the dots between the art and your lived experience.
✶ Step Five: Keep Looking
You don’t have to figure everything out at once. Return to the artwork. Revisit it. Let it sit with you. Allow the piece to reveal itself slowly over time, because that’s when it becomes exciting.
Ready to Practice?
Purchase our guidebook, The Art of Seeing, for tips, prompts, and journaling questions that’ll help you go deeper. Whether you’re in a gallery or scrolling online, this guide gives you permission to slow down and feel something.
Purchase The Art of Seeing here!
