What to Look for When You Look at Art - TribecaY

 This 1 1/2 hr. seminar, "What to Look for ...," with speaker Gene Wisniewski differed from my previous Tribeca seminars.  No introduction or credentials were given for the speaker, Wisniewski did provide outline handouts for us and he was not selling a book.  Wisniewski is a painter & a recipient of the Robert Rauschenberg Fdtn. Grant, '08.  At 1st it seemed another bait & switch on the topic.  The seminar began with a general art appreciation overview & discussion of the functions of art;  basic & disappointing.  However, once having laid this groundwork, Wisniewski went on to explore approaches which provided insight into the technical skills of the artist.  We looked at identifying the artist's hand and at freedom vs. control in painting.  The importance of viewing orignal work & how to approach the art was illuminating.  Even more interesting was the discovery of compositions and intent of the artists.  I became drawn into the lecture.  Other highlights included transitions/relationships within a painting & the use of colors as an expressive element.  This seminar was unique for its interesting subject matter and for accomplishing its objective.  There was not a hidden agenda with this talk.  He did point out a sign in a painting that read, "Unless what you have to say is more important than silence, remain silent."  As usual, the audience's comments were self-aggrandizing & they should have remained silent.