If you ask me what I learnt most out of my two art-related modules (Reading Visual Images & Southeast Asian Arts), it would be that you can never teach someone to learn, appreciate or see art.
Take my Reading Visual Images module as an example.
As much as it tries to expose us to the various types of art classification and the ways to read the different paintings, I'm pretty sure that most of the class is made up of people with no interest in art.
Although the module is at an ungodly hour of 7 to 9pm, it is still very popular, raking up to a minimum of 1500 points in the NUS module bidding system.
And I attribute this "popularity" to the fact that this module does not have a final semester examination.
Haha.
So much for NUS students actually being very interested in the world of reflection, inner feelings and charged emotions.
Furthermore, staying true to the Singapore education system, the tutorials are carried out in a very systematic and structured manner.
Complete with numbered questions to be "discussed".
I use the inverted commas because these questions in fact are not discussed but answered.
The tutor asks the questions and appears to seek our opinions in the way he phrases his words.
However, when we give a truly personal and felt answer, he proceeds to brush it aside, saying that "its not exactly the answer i was looking for".
Surely art was never about facts and the truth.
Much like literature, i highly suspect that the author or creator never intended to impose any particular reading to its reader or viewer.
By embedding the notion of fact and the concept of "correct answer" into these works of art, one is simply sucking out all the life and feeling that is necessary to approaching these works.
Dr. Johnson on the other hand, never fails to reassert this fact to his lecture class.
He constantly reminds us that we need to put the art pieces into context and appreciate it for its naturalistic qualities as well as its practical functions.
He also emphasizes that everyone has a different reading or understanding towards a same piece of art.
However, I can't say that he has effectively influenced his tutorial class into seeing the way he does.
Call me opinionated, biased or even conceited, but from the very first tutorial class, I felt as if some students were merely saying things that they felt was the "right answer".
But then again, even Dr. Johnson was biased himself.
Choosing to focus and blabbering on and on (which usually resulted in us ending tutorial late) about the types of art he was interested in while thoroughly neglecting other possible topics.
I guess it is true.
Art is really about feelings with inner biasness.
Its about looking at something through your own eyes and not someone else's.
And putting in your own meaning to make none other but yourself happy.
On a side note, I'm really thankful for all these opportunities of being exposed to art.
Especially my Lit and the Other Arts module by Prof. Patke.
It just makes me want to go to Paris and visit all the museums.
Haha.
One day I suppose I will.
And even I have my favourites.
I want to see the famous Un dimanche après-midi à l'Ile de la Grande Jette by Georges Seurat!
(:
Take my Reading Visual Images module as an example.
As much as it tries to expose us to the various types of art classification and the ways to read the different paintings, I'm pretty sure that most of the class is made up of people with no interest in art.
Although the module is at an ungodly hour of 7 to 9pm, it is still very popular, raking up to a minimum of 1500 points in the NUS module bidding system.
And I attribute this "popularity" to the fact that this module does not have a final semester examination.
Haha.
So much for NUS students actually being very interested in the world of reflection, inner feelings and charged emotions.
Furthermore, staying true to the Singapore education system, the tutorials are carried out in a very systematic and structured manner.
Complete with numbered questions to be "discussed".
I use the inverted commas because these questions in fact are not discussed but answered.
The tutor asks the questions and appears to seek our opinions in the way he phrases his words.
However, when we give a truly personal and felt answer, he proceeds to brush it aside, saying that "its not exactly the answer i was looking for".
Surely art was never about facts and the truth.
Much like literature, i highly suspect that the author or creator never intended to impose any particular reading to its reader or viewer.
By embedding the notion of fact and the concept of "correct answer" into these works of art, one is simply sucking out all the life and feeling that is necessary to approaching these works.
Dr. Johnson on the other hand, never fails to reassert this fact to his lecture class.
He constantly reminds us that we need to put the art pieces into context and appreciate it for its naturalistic qualities as well as its practical functions.
He also emphasizes that everyone has a different reading or understanding towards a same piece of art.
However, I can't say that he has effectively influenced his tutorial class into seeing the way he does.
Call me opinionated, biased or even conceited, but from the very first tutorial class, I felt as if some students were merely saying things that they felt was the "right answer".
But then again, even Dr. Johnson was biased himself.
Choosing to focus and blabbering on and on (which usually resulted in us ending tutorial late) about the types of art he was interested in while thoroughly neglecting other possible topics.
I guess it is true.
Art is really about feelings with inner biasness.
Its about looking at something through your own eyes and not someone else's.
And putting in your own meaning to make none other but yourself happy.
On a side note, I'm really thankful for all these opportunities of being exposed to art.
Especially my Lit and the Other Arts module by Prof. Patke.
It just makes me want to go to Paris and visit all the museums.
Haha.
One day I suppose I will.
And even I have my favourites.
I want to see the famous Un dimanche après-midi à l'Ile de la Grande Jette by Georges Seurat!
(:
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