Salisbury is waking up. Albeit very slowly, there are signs that it is rising from slumber. With its wealth of Constables drawing in visitors from far and wide this summer at the Salisbury Museum, the Arts Centre is kicking it’s heels with a contemporary response from artist Jonathan Parsons and Abigail Reynolds seeing Constable through 21st-century eyes. With Bob and Roberta Smith adding his contribution in August and a Gormley hanging in the cathedral, this little city is beginning to punch above its weight (or rather the weight it is always should have attained). While it is steeped in history it is always fallen short of the here and now but not any more. Tonight sees the opening of the only group studio I have ever known Salisbury to host. Started by a group of ex-MA students from Winchester everyone is looking to NewRed, as it’s called, to stir things up a bit.
As my husband is in London, I have no choice but to take the girls along with me. When I mentioned this earlier the usual moaning began. In my last blog post I touched a little on how the general public ‘see’ art and I thought it would be interesting to question them a little further. The twins are both nine and the conversation went like this.
Why do you not want to go to the art opening?
Because adult art is boring?
What is the difference between child and adult art?
Erin – Kids see art differently. Adults just put random stuff on, they don’t put lots of colours on top of colours and shapes with different shapes, you don’t understand what it means and that makes it annoying and then you don’t like it. There will probably be work with people in it tonight and kids do better people with spikey up hair and things. Kids art is really good, just better for understanding.
Maeve – When you have a book with a different world in it you can copy the world, kids can draw the world that they have in their head, Mrs Hill says you must vomit your ideas all onto the paper, not really vomit, just get them all out. When children make a picture they can make you feel a feeling, a sun will make you happy, thunder and lightning will make you scared, it can take you into their world.
How could artists make going to a gallery better?
It would be great if the artist was there to tell you what it all means, then I wouldn’t be sad if I didn’t understand.
