bet that in almost all cases what they'll tell you will not be what they think of your art, but rather what they think you'll want to hear-- which is usually that they like it. In other words, asking the question is basically pointless because you'll have no idea whether the answers you get will be honest or not, and no real way of finding that out. Unless you already have an established relationship with whomever you're asking, or you're in a setting where people are specifically critiquing various artists' work, there's rarely any upside to putting someone on the spot. If people feel like commenting, let them do it on their own; don't force the issue.
The good news is you never really have to ask because over time, plenty of people will volunteer every conceivable response to your art-- sometimes fantastic, other times not so good. No matter what they say, these are always excellent opportunities to learn how your work impacts others, but at the same time, you can't take absolutely everything you hear at face value. Way too many artists have a tendency to get overly sensitive or defensive the instant anyone gets the least bit critical, and often without even thinking about who the criticizer is.
These sorts of overreactions are rarely called for because most of the feedback you get comes from people who are not buyers, collectors, critics, gallery owners or anyone else who has the ability to either impact or influence the course of your career, but rather from friends, family, acquaintances or casual art fans simply out for a good time and a little small talk. And making a big deal out of small talk does not do you one iota of good.
In order to figure out how seriously to take any conversation where your art suddenly becomes the center of attention, start by assessing the source. Who is this person? Do they know you? Are they familiar with the type of art you make? Do they know what it's about? Do they know how you work? How much do they know about art? Are they qualified to judge art? If so, what are their qualifications? Are they potential buyers? Are they respected members of the art community? Are they trying to make art conversation? Do they have their own interests or agendas in mind rather than yours? Or do they just love to hear themselves blab? You'll meet them all... believe it. Once you figure out whom you're talking to and are able to get a little perspective on the matter, then you'll be in a far better position to relax and get the most out of every encounter.
This doesn't mean that if someone fails to "qualify," in your opinion, to weigh in on your art you blow them off or ignore everything they say. If one of your goals as an artist is to broaden your audience-- to expose your work to as many people as possible in as many different circumstances as possible-- then you have to consider and reflect on what everyone tells you, and not just a select few. Even the most uninformed viewers can at times provide brilliant bits of wisdom and insight into your art, not only in terms of the work itself, but also how it affects them, what they get out of it, what it communicates, what they understand, what they need help understanding, and so on. And that's the good stuff, not pretentious art babble someone might lay on you just to stroke their own ego. Input from a broad cross-section of people helps you become a better artist by better understanding the
impact of your art. It's just that simple.
Another important determination you have to make about responses to your art is whether a particular comment is based on the individual's personal tastes or is instead based more on their overall knowledge and understanding of art-- your type of art in particular-- and their familiarity or experience with the art world as a whole. Usually it's the former-- someone either likes or dislikes your art only in terms of what they find personally appealing, and has little or nothing to do with the quality, meaning or significance of the work itself. Personal-taste types of criticisms are still worth listening to, especially if you hear similar versions of particular reactions over and over again, but at the same time, you can't take it all that seriously because it's not really about you or your art, it's about other people and their tastes. In other words, don't get all bent out of shape when someone speaks about your art in less than glowing terms, based solely on his or her individual preferences for what they like or don't like in art.
If however, a person's comments are more informed, objective, made within
Khipuz - Art Business
9
17