Getting the most from an exhibition.

Exhibitions can be punishing affairs: the crowds around each painting, the pressure to move on, the sheer volume of it all…but they don’t have to be. 

To get the most out of a show, do what I do and plan to visit at least twice. On your first foray, try to spend no more than 30 minutes. You are there to browse; to see what allures, to see what jumps out. Gather yourself at the entrance, put on your headphones, take a nice long breath, let it slowly out, and press ‘Play’ on something with a rhythm to suit the occasion (for Modern, I’m partial to Goldfrapp’s ‘Ooh La La’, whereas the Renaissance has me reaching for the Cocteau Twins) 

Aim to skip over the top of the crowds, and shimmy through the galleries at a decent clip, taking snaps of canvases that - for whatever reason - speak to you. It could be that outrageous pink, or the coquettish tilt of her head, or the sheer wow of her dress. There may be shows where you take twenty photos, and others where you take only two. The point is not to second guess or overthink your first impression. Go with your gut, take your shots, and leave. No visual distortion, no cognitive overload, no stress. You’re there to celebrate your independence.

Back home, or at your local independent coffee shop (no Starbucks please, we’re British), I like to organize my photos by ascending chronological order. That way, I can see how styles evolved (or didn’t), and how one painting or artist may have informed another. I’ll then spend three to four minutes googling each painting to get a better sense for the painter, the subject, and the picture. In 60 minutes or so, I have everything I need in order to have a bang-up second visit. I have all the context I want, and I don’t need to get distracted by the annoying captions affixed next to the pictures. I can now devote myself to the artist, and to the conversation they want to have with me. 

Back at the exhibition, you are now ready for quality time. You can have fun imagining that you are visiting a private exhibition of paintings you chose. You can take as long as you like with each canvas. You don’t have to rush. You know exactly what, and who, you are there for. If the mood grabs you, you can even share what you have learnt with others. Music on this visit is strictly optional. The artist is trying to tell you something. Better to keep your ears pinned back for this one. 

Second visits are when the paintings come alive and exhibitions really pay off. They become an act of intention, a gift to yourself; one that, thanks to your prep, you have lovingly wrapped and bow-tied. Share this gift with a partner or a stranger, and they become all the richer and the more resonant.  Because, ultimately, exhibitions are about connection, and not consumption. 

So give the 2-step a try, and let me know what changes for you. The more you and I share, the better our exhibitions will become!