Abstract

Modernist strategies for art appreciation are insufficient to help non-expert viewers to understand most contemporary art. A postmodern pedagogical approach to viewing art appears better suited to this undertaking. The artistic practice and pedagogical approach of contemporary artists may help support that path to understanding. This study examines whether or not the pedagogical approach used by artist René Derouin provides valuable assistance to non-expert viewers of contemporary art. In this study the author conducted a series of interviews with non-expert participants about their beliefs concerning art. A second series of interviews was conducted after they experienced contemporary art at the Derouin Foundation where the in-situ installations Les jardins du précambrien were displayed. Results of this study show that the non-experts of this research have many recurrent ideas that they associate with art and that these concepts prevent them from appreciating or understanding some aspects of contemporary art. Results of this study also show that the art practice of Derouin significantly helped the non-experts studied overcome some of their pre-conceived ideas, understand and appreciate some aspects of contemporary art. The shift in focus of the participants from an emphasis on the formal qualities of the artworks in favour of the context(s), content and concepts of works of contemporary art was significant. Given their initial difficulties dealing with notions of contemporary art and their subsequent openness to them, this study supports the idea that non-experts can be helped to understand and appreciate works of contemporary art