What’s the big deal with art galleries?

In an age of social media, and interactive immediacy – it’s easy to lose sight of the benefits of engaging at a personal level with people, objects, and experiences. I guess I am not surprised that a few people ask – what’s the benefit of going to a gallery when I can just scroll through artworks online? Quite apart from the benefits of physical movement and sensory activation, I see several significant benefits that arise when a person engages with art in a live setting.

First, viewing art in a gallery can be an immersive experience. Getting up close to fine art allows you to fully immerse yourself in the work. You can examine the brushstrokes, texture, and details up close, as well as gain a sense of the scale and presence of the piece. A lot more is revealed about the artists’ process, and there may be subtleties that add to the work’s narrative that simply can’t be experienced from a photograph.

This deeper looking that occurs in a gallery can also result in a profound emotional impact. The atmosphere, lighting, spatial context, and location of the gallery can enhance the emotional connection you feel with the work. Imagine a work that almost glows, against a dark wall in a gallery, with perfect lighting from above, and complimentary works on either side. The impact can be immediate and significant, but this effect would be lost on a small scale and on the screen of a device.  

In addition, galleries often provide context for the work on display, including information about the artist, including any artistic, social or political influences, as well as the time period in which the work was created. This can deepen your understanding and appreciation of the work and allow you to place it in a local or social context that has relevance to you personally. Often, you can ask further questions of the gallerist who may offer further insight that is not available online.

Ok, so all that is well and good. But isn’t going to an art gallery a little solitary, or exclusive? Quite the opposite actually. Visiting a gallery can be a social experience and viewing art with others can spark interesting conversations, enable shared experiences, enhance learning, and generate diverse responses. Bringing a friend makes Art fun! Plus, if a gallery is well located, there’s often the opportunity to combine art with food, coffee, shopping or other leisure or hospitality options for a well-rounded experience!

Finally, at the end of all of that, if you decide to purchase art as part of your gallery visit, you can be certain of its authenticity and provenance. Online images of art can be easily manipulated or misrepresented, so viewing the work in person provides assurance that you're seeing the real thing. You’ll often be given a certificate of authenticity or other documentation to support your purchase, which means you can enjoy your art for years to come in the knowledge you’ve got the real deal.

There you have it. Viewing fine art in person at a gallery offers a more complete and rich experience than viewing it online, and is a great way to connect with art and culture on a deeper level. Get down to your local gallery and soak up some of those cultural vibes!