How to Understand Art in 6 Easy Steps

Anything within the context of art is art. It might make you roll your eyes to think about a highly paid artist flinging paint at a canvas like a toddler. But much as John Cage taught us the difference between noise and sound, seeing art that you disagree with can challenge your notions, or help you suss out your beliefs.

Creativity is one of the many benefits of human intelligence. Our ability to make art and think critically about it separate us from dolphins and monkeys. I don’t care what you majored in, or how your figure drawings (or stick figures) always come out. Every human being has artistic ability. Trust in this.

Once you’re comfortable with allowing yourself to feel something about art, take it to the next level. Try to go beyond considering whether art is cool or offensive, and find a personal connection to the work. Even if you're relating art to something as simple what you ate for breakfast, it’s a step in the right direction.

Assuming you have the aforementioned human intelligence, then you also have artistic ability. Anything that you consider to be art will be. Walk backward through a crosswalk. Take a photo. Instagram it. Experiment. Cook an amazing meal (bonus points if you don’t look at a recipe). I guarantee you’ll feel better about art after exercising your right to create.