The Art History Experiment

Mona Lisa, Leonardo Da Vinci c. 1530

 

I did an art history experiment with my Instagram followers @LiveLovelyTravel the other day and I thought it would be a great exercise to share on the blog because so many people reached out in appreciation for the mini series. If you did not see the experiment in my stories, I hope you’ll have fun with me for a moment and learn something new with my art history experiment. If you already know the experiment, feel free to read ahead as I do go into more detail in this blog post.

The experiment goes like this:

I asked all my followers if they could tell me their favorite type/time period/ piece of art. I want you to do this with me now. What is your favorite kind of art? Are you thinking about it? Picture it vividly in your mind.

 

Now I’m going to guess what it is.

My guess is that you named some type of European art; particularly Renaissance or French Impressionism art. I’m guessing there were a lot of thoughts about Monet.

Am I right?

In my Instagram stories (saved under my highlights as “Art History”) you can see that my guess was almost completely accurate. 94% of my followers polled said that I was right or very close. Only two said no.

I really enjoyed hearing about everyone’s favorite art. I was sent so many messages listing French impressionism, surrealism, and various other types of art.

Now for part two of the experiment, and this is the important part:

 

Do you wonder why I was able to guess so accurately? I do have a Bachelors of Fine Arts and one of my minors is Art History, but that doesn’t make me a mind reader. I’m not exactly an expert in the field as I have not pursued a Masters degree in art history, but I do know a lot about art and it is what my degree is in. Before I complete my experiment with you I want to thank you for participating.

Perhaps you didn’t choose Impressionism or the Renaissance era. Maybe you chose something like cubism, dadaism, surrealism, pointillism, or modern art like Jackson Pollock.

I know what I have to say next might ruffle some feathers, but I don’t want anyone to get defensive. This is a learning experiment. I too love French Impressionism and and what I first heard what I am about to share with you, I was really surprised. It is mind blowing, but so significant and so obvious once it is pointed out. I promise that you will appreciate what I am about to tell you.

Do you remember the first art you ever saw? Perhaps there were paintings or posters on your classroom walls. Replicas or images of Greek statues in your elementary school or local library. Maybe you did have a teacher outside the norm like a history or an art teacher that had a painted African mask or Egyptian hieroglyphs instead and you thought of it as a little odd because it looked different from what you were used to. From the time you were very young the art you were exposed to was by primarily white male artists. Let that sink in for a moment because it is important.

Even as an adult, you’re bombarded with art my primarily white American and European artists. Every time you visit the dentist or the eye doctor it is there. We’ve all seen Renoir or Van Gogh’s paintings on posters on office walls. Ballerinas painted by Degas. Their art is displayed on mugs, t-shirts, and merchandise. I happen to have a Van Gogh mug with painted sunflowers that I absolutely adore.

Have you ever wondered why out of 30,000 years of human art, 95% of the people you ask about art will tell you that their favorite is French Impressionism, a time period in art history that only lasted less than two decades?

That is called bias and it is caused by systemic racism. If you have ever said to yourself, “I’m not biased,” I hate to burst your bubble, but everyone is taught bias whether they realize it or not. You learn it in childhood and carry it into adulthood and most of it is subconscious. You appreciate what you are taught to appreciate. Art history is only one obvious example of this process.

It is the reason why when you visit the Louvre in Paris that you have to shuffle by a swarm of fifty plus people to catch a glimpse of the Mona Lisa, but all the wings where the African, Middle Eastern, Asian, South American, etc. art is always nearly empty. It is the reason why people believe that halos are Christian from Renaissance art, when in reality the idea was stolen from Islamic artists.

Now you might get defensive and argue that historically Europe has superior art. That simply is not the case, although I too like Renaissance paintings for their innovations in perspective and their lifelike portrayals of people, that is an art form that we are consistently taught to appreciate time and time again. You might ask, what about Roman and Greek statues? You might think that they are the first ever lifelike statues of the human form, but that too is incorrect. Human-shaped and humanoid statues have been found in art history going back over 28,000 years. It was actually ancient Egypt that really perfected the human form represented in statues. The Romans took what they learned form Egypt and applied it to their art and the Greeks followed.

You might believe that Europe had the art forms or the skills, while other countries did not, but that too is not accurate. In Japan artists were perfecting the skills of block printing and watercolor painting. In 1250 AD when artists in France were making lifelike statues to decorate cathedral walls, artists in Nigeria were also making incredible lifelike statues of people. White cultures do not have the first or only claim to this skill. So why is it that no one really knows about these other pieces of historic art?

 

Here are a few photo examples I took with my cell phone from a book called “30,000 Years of Art.”

Germany, c. 28,000 BC

 

Egypt, c. 550 BC

 

Greece, c. 550 BC

 

Nefertiti, Egypt, c.. 1340 BC

 

Tibet, c. 1300

 

Nigeria, c. 1300

 

France, c. 1250

 

Nigeria, c. 1250

 

Art collectors, museums, and art historians have favored white male artists because of systemic racism for hundreds of years. The art of other cultures was viewed as less than, “primitive,” or even vulgar so it was often not shown or if it was, it was often put down and the significance, the skill, and the cultural meaning was left out. It was not until the 2000’s that art history books and classes started featuring more diversity in their art history, including featuring female artists, which is another history lesson entirely.

We are taught to appreciate art. French Impressionism itself was first considered ugly and even “vulgar” by society until quite recently in history, but now it is pushed as the epitome of art.

It is why artists such as Pablo Picasso are celebrated and hailed for his unique perspectives in his art known as cubism, but the many forms of African art are mocked.

Afghan Hound, Picasso

 

Femme Chapeau Orne, Picasso

So now that you know, what can you do about it?

One. The best thing you can do is to explore new art.

The next time you go on Google or visit a museum, look up the art of a country you know little about. Explore a new wing of the museum or visit a museum dedicated to a different kind of art than what you are used to. Study a new art style; appreciate the colors, the skill, and the meaning. You’ll be amazing by the creativity, the innovation, and the emotions it evokes.

Two. Surround yourself with various unique art styles.

Display art by non-white artists in your home, at your desk, your office or place of work. Share art with your friends, family, and community.

Three. See a lack of diversity? Say something.

Is there a lack of diversity at your place of work? Perhaps mention it to your boss or colleagues and see if you can add some diversity to your office decor.

Four. Share this post.

Really, share this post or this idea with your friends and people you know. Start a discussion. Ask questions. Be a part of the change.