I don’t really need to feel or touch artwork in private or exhibition spaces.
This due to my father and mother who acknowledged and encouraged my creativity and artistic interest as a young child. Hence I have a strong admiration and self control with what and how artist create works of art in any formal or informal setting.
From four years old I have always doodle, sketched, coloured, made things and wrote endless amount of long and short stories, poetry and performed in plays. In addition the ample amount of art exhibitions I attended with my dad, like minded friends, and enthusiastically going by myself. I always saw community art being installed ,drawn, graffiti in my city and local neighbourhoods and happily knew as a little girl throughout teenage years that my boundaries with art, was attentive, enjoyable and enriching. I get my deep, natural, intuitive creativity from my father, he’s extensive knowledge and creative examples were seeing him reading and writing poems, sketching, and talking a lot about the arts. Whilst my mother was the driving force of financially supporting what I was gifted in, by buying all the things I needed to be able to succeed in wherever art would take me in life.
I guess I’m describing how my natural abilities with art plus the environment and support from my parents, art mentors and outside curriculums was reinforced and there-fore solidified. It’s not about dishing out facts or complexities about art to anyone never mind a child. Its rather helping children to become attuned to others point of view and visually express imagery they see for themselves.
It’s not about dishing out facts or complexities about art to anyone never mind a child.
Here are 3 annoyances of elite gallery’s, museums, art connoisseur and visitors alike feel about gregarious uninhibited children when visiting art spaces.
1.They will damage works
From a gallery point of view to caress, tap, pinch press, and so on, it is damaging the work, because its about sell-ability. Any new defaults devalues the artistic flare, historical perfections or imperfect state. Whelp, a child doesn’t have that level of educated reasoning… yet. It is what it is.
But it’s not done purposefully.
Children learn by touching and feeling materials and items which is called kinaesthetic learning helping them to explore, understand and communicate through the world they are developing in. Therefore when a post modern or conceptual art presented in a space it will be extremely difficult for a child not to touch it.
When I think of all the many exhibitions and shows I have attended, so far a favourite of mines is entitled ‘Nine’ by Guerra de la paz (2007) is a mix media sculpture installation I saw at Saachi gallery London in the Abstract America exhibition.
A child can learn a lot from this installation and is one I pull from when discussing with children I’m in contact with, about the value of caring for things, memories, community, cultural identity and differing traditions of past and future. Along with exercising their emotional intelligence of humility, respect, towards other people, children and families.
2. Children are noisy and uncontrollable
When adult gallery visitors are pondering with a art piece on the wall for instance, what made the artist decide to move from pastels to excelling in charcoal works… and all of a sudden a gush of shrieking children talking or weaving around you and the work, you’re trying to enjoy throws you off you’re thoughts. Yes it can do.
However if people explained (as my before point) to children what they are seeing, for 15–20 mins the length of a sing along session or short activity at home, you will be able to get back a light thoughtful summary of what an artwork means to a eight year old. Whether it’s a curvy bold Henry Moore sculpture or mysterious sharp out line cuts by American artist Kara Walker. Instead of believing theres no way, one can get any possible and sensible feedback from a child.
3. This is not a playground
Art etiquette in gallery spaces is notorious for its sophistication, and tidy behaviour. It has been so since the mid 15th century for those who were born in western parts of the world or who were members of the aristocracy. Yes the wealthy. Where only their manor houses, palaces or in churches art works and antiques was held and shown, confirming their evidence of wealth. Also any children of theirs were put to bed by household staff.
Today we have taken on that history of high calibre art etiquette into public spaces of museums, galleries and international fairs. But cultural and lifestyle choices for people with children partaking and viewing art are completely different now.
Elite museum directors and gallery owners should not selfishly green light architectural plans solely for adult visitor’s own understanding and relaxation needs. Include some relevant interactive design spaces for children as well. The young will eventually grow up, so why not explore, research and prepare flexible, modern, creative public spaces for them. Therefore they can later in age appreciate the aesthetic and maturer functionality of an architectural space.
Children are leaning to understand themselves, people and things in the spaces they occupy frequently and curiously challenge these changes at their own level of understanding. Which re-enforces their identity, physical connection and emotional intelligence to prepare them venturing out into the world that awaits them. I’m from London so the Tate modern, Museum of childhood, Whitechapel and Serpentine, I believe are great art gallery and museum spaces to go to with children.
The young will eventually grow up, so why not explore, research and prepare flexible, modern, creative public spaces for them. Therefore they can later in age appreciate the aesthetic and maturer functionality of an architectural space.
My thoughts towards a six year old loudly singing in repetition in a gallery room “dot dot dot so many dots!” That they see on a canvas. Is to allow children to just be. Art spaces shouldn’t be to halt creative discussions and interaction at a young age.
Instead of side eyeing children in creative spaces, I am personally displeased with those who take children in the weekdays to pubs, dinner and bar settings late evening. Shut your eyes with me and imagine… A Thursday evening soirée the bar turns the music up a little louder, people take smoke breaks outside, a dash of rude adult humour is openly done and then there’s the classic first dates sightings or business connects being entertained and many drinks clinking are in play.
All not appropriate for little eyes and ears who are crying, fidgeting or screaming with exhaustion to go home.
So, can you go please!?
