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Listening Before Seeking Answers in Art
Many people seem to feel a sense of frustration in the state of “wanting to understand but not being able to” when it comes to contemporary art, perceiving it as a high barrier. How do you navigate the feeling of “not understanding”?
AoiYamada: I understand that it’s completely normal not to grasp everything right away. After all, there’s no way we can fully comprehend the themes and backgrounds that an artist might have spent countless hours exploring, especially during our first encounter with their work.
Instead of taking a passive approach, I try to engage actively with art. It’s not just a casual experience; it often requires a lot of energy and involvement.
While artists might not be able to explain their work to each of us directly, the artwork itself speaks to us. Rather than immediately looking for answers, I prefer to first really listen to what the piece is trying to convey.
