How Contemporary Art is Evolving Its Methods of Displaying/Exhibiting
Culture is consumed at a hungrily ambitious rate. We are all just one Google search away from being transformed by online content, like sponges we guzzle up the new information. From the Royal Academy’s Ai WeiWei 360, to the Courtauld Gallery’s virtual reality tour and impressively the Guggenheim Museum’s Google Street View - art is there for the taking. But with this disposable approach to creative thinking and the catalogues of work made readily available, we are becoming experts without ever needing to step foot into a gallery.
Renoir was a leading painter of the impressionist movement. His light water colour brush strokes depicted tasteful nudes of voluptuous women, landscapes by canals and flowers on tables. Renoir’s work is careful and archetypal of its time. The scattered brushwork and the construction of light across each image provides a dream like quality that is rarely seen in the same way in other artistic movements. He focuses on people and places. Couples are seen walking leisurely arm in arm, men dancing with women in the foreground whilst children play in the back. It is as though Renoir was discovering the world through his paintings and his practice. He was an impeccably precise man. He would paint the same apple repeatedly one hundred times to capture its beauty, each time he would be engulfed by his love of art.
Exhibition on screen is a documentary online, which explores his artistic intentions, his inspirations from leading artists and the critique he faced as a painter. The documentary is an hour and half in length and proves an extensive portfolio of Renoir paintings. Over the top of this imagery we can hear Renoir words, how he loathed the term ‘impressionism’ that was imposed on his creative process and how important it was to him to paint real women, women with curves and imperfections. There is no ambiguity in interpreting Renoir. It is all spelled out for you by extracts from his interviews and the in depth analysis of 21 century critics.
This differs greatly from the free-minded approach to wandering in galleries. Renoir’s painting of a group of people is open for subjective interpretation. The viewer might have seen expressions of anguish, create intricate backstories for the characters as to why Renoir decided to paint them. Without looking it up these probably misinterpretations will stick with the viewer till long after they have got back from the gallery. But this is not a bad thing. The painting of Renoir’s trees might resonate personally to the viewer. They may stand staring at the painting for hours, paint inches from their face as they are profoundly moved. This is an entirely different approach from the Youtube window of the documentary that aggressively glares back at you. Subjectivity becomes less and less important to those who crave easily digestible content.
Conversely, Exhibition on screen is a great example of getting information from reliable sources. It presents us with solid facts, historical recounts from art experts and quotes from Renoir himself. These cannot be argued with. This is accompanied by mood setting classical music and long lingering close ups of Renoir’s detailed work. There is no skipping a painting in this exhibition; the eye must focus on his work. These types of documentaries are commonplace among the depths of the Internet. They allow for all generations to be inspired by new art forms.
But there is space for these two approaches. Consuming art in any context is a great thing. We can wander the art galleries and watch interesting documentaries on the same day. Whether or not digital art will overtake traditional exhibitions, it is unclear. Contemporary art is definitely moving online where a broader audience can watch it. Art is no longer for pretentious upper class snobs but for the general populace.
Renoir - Revered and Reviled will be released in 180 cinemas nationwide from 16th February. To find your nearest screening visit www.exhibitiononscreen.com.
