After decades of loving art and going to shows, you learn a thing or two—some good, some bad. One thing that I have really valued is the “discovery.” Often you head out to a show after reading a review, or because you already know and like the artist(s) or because you have heard great word of mouth about the show. But the funny thing about all these informational precursors is that they can diminish your experience because all it can be is what you expect. On the other hand, when someone you know asks you to go to a show and you know nothing about it or the artists involved, you get a disproportionate high from it if it is good. When something really good, catches you by surprise, the high is delicious.
I had such an experience when I saw the painting, “The Mast Grove” (trees so straight that they could serve as masts on a a ship). When I saw it online, I thought it was a photograph. And, I thought it was my country, Canada. But no, it was painted by Ivan Shishkin who was born in Russia in 1832 and died in 1898. Not all his work appeals to me inasmuch as landscapes, as a whole, are not my favourite form of visual art. But at the same time, another great experience is when something that you normally don’t like reaches out through your prejudice and into your heart or soul.
Links and information about Ivan Shishkin on Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivan_Shishkin
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