Wandering Along the Path: Right Speech

My husband and I visited an art show at a local museum, and driving back home, we talked about what we liked that we'd seen and what we didn't.  My husband was generalizing about modern art versus traditional art and I might have enjoyed that conversation a few years ago, but now, with the help of my teacher Yvonne Rand, my generalization habit has been diminished quite a bit because of her admonition to watch out for generalizing.

Making sweeping statements can be fun, and done tongue in cheek, it has it's moments.  But when you begin generalizing, you end up with countless exceptions.  Generalizing is lazy, as well as inaccurate.  So I've been trained not to say, for instance:  "That painting looks derivative", when, in fact, derivation has it's important place in art, and referencing that's deliberate may open up the art work in a way that the artist intends and the viewer benefits.  Saying, "I don't like Pop Art" only means you haven't enjoyed any work in that category up until now.  None of us has seen all representations of that school, and you could be in for huge surprise, one that could change how you see all Pop Art.  For years I couldn't see what all the fuss was about with El Greco.  Then I went to the Prado in Spain, followed by a weekend at Toledo, and now I love his art.  My mind was transformed.  I thought I hated video art until I saw my first Bill Viola piece and William Kentridge's work, and now I keep discovering new video art that I love.  I no longer avoid that section of a museum.

So generalizing, as well as closing down a lively conversation, can inhibit a person from being open and curious.  Pleasures will not be had, because of the rigidity of the thought and speech.  So next time you're in a museum, pick one piece that intrigues you, and be specific about parts you like.  Try not to let it speak for the oeuvre of the artist, just tell me how you feel when you look at it.  Then I'll tell you how it makes me feel, and we're off, not competing, but having fun and stretching each others' minds.