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Meditations
Dr. Sumi
September 2005

Earlier this year a prominent city art gallery piloted a scheme inviting people to come into the gallery during their lunch break in order to view a painting as an antidote to stress. I presume that for each session one particular painting was chosen and briefly discussed - followed by a period of private contemplation. I doubt if this is an idea that would readily spring into the minds of most people if they were asked to identify ways in which they might 'chill out' in their lunch hour. It seems more likely that they would choose to browse the shops, read a book, do some yoga exercises, or perhaps go for a 'social' drink with friends.

Having recently returned from a trip to Edinburgh, which is blessed with a multiplicity of art galleries, the idea got me thinking. Whilst visiting some of the Edinburgh galleries I noticed the way in which many people behave when confronted by works of art - which, in turn, led me to question my own responses. Many visitors dutifully trotted through room after room appearing to offer only a cursory glance at the paintings displayed around them. Some, but not many, spent time concentrating on a particular painting, absorbing every aspect of it. A few of these people appeared to be so wrapped up in their concentration on a particular work that they could almost be described as undertaking a form of meditation.

What sort of art work might act as a balm to the senses? A serene landscape probably springs to the minds of many - perhaps because the myth of the rural idyll still holds true for those whose lives are circumscribed by targets and deadlines. However, the answer is as varied as there are types of people. Like most things in life, what works for one person is not necessarily right for another. Personally I am drawn to portraits and can spend a long time looking at the lines on a face or the set of a mouth in order to build up my own impression of the sitter. I find this very calming, probably because I am totally absorbed in the experience and so all other thoughts get pushed out of my mind. For others a landscape or portrait could prove too engaging and pose too many questions to be able to provide the medium for soothing contemplation. In such cases an abstract piece of art might be the preference.

Britain contains a plethora of museums and art galleries in its towns and cities, many of which have free entry. They contain a wide variety of art to suit all tastes. Why not encourage the use of them to a wider audience - much as one might use a gym or an aromatherapy parlour in one's lunch break - as a place to help unwind from the stresses and strains of everyday life? Although the scheme referred to at the beginning of this article was, I believe, mainly aimed at workers in their lunch break it could, of course, have benefits for all. In today's fast moving world an engagement with art - if approached in the right way - could help to enrich many people's lives.

Perhaps such engagement needs to start with children. Many school trips require pupils to rush around galleries with pen and paper in hand looking for visual indicators of what a work of art is 'saying'. Perhaps we need to cultivate the ability just to look and feel, much as when one's emotions are aroused by a piece of music -without too much analysis of what is happening. Part of the problem may be because museums and galleries, by their very nature, are seen by many people as places of elitism and, as such, only for those with the 'necessary knowledge'. Places where one goes to be educated and informed rather than to seek a pleasurable experience. Many galleries and museums are, of course, working hard to overturn such preconceptions -but, as the saying goes, it's hard to change the habits of a lifetime.

Perhaps we all need to reflect on the way in which we engage with art - not just in the hallowed surroundings of museums and galleries but in public places and spaces, as well as privately within the confines of our own homes. A subject to meditate on?...