Is art worth your time?

Breaking out of routine is difficult for any student – wake up, school, sport, job, homework, sleep, and repeat. Finding time to relax or be social can be a challenge amidst the stacks of AP work and college preparation process. Among all of these teenage duties, even just to consider visiting an art museum or reflect on an artist seems borderline preposterous. Who has time for that?

We at the Talon would highly encourage and recommend breaking out of such a rigid routine, and find some appreciation in the opportunities Minnesota has to offer when it comes to art. As Americans, we have become accustomed to such a fast-paced lifestyle and crammed schedules. This makes it seem like everything has to have some tangible benefit, be it points in school, honor in sports, money from jobs, etc, yet we can squander hours a day on social networking sites and in front of our televisions.

Though it might seem almost pointless to go to an art museum, doing so has the potential to possess much redeeming value. Art is a visually stimulating way of conveying a message, or letting the visitor interpret the meaning for themselves. If you find yourself frustrated, trying to find the meaning behind why is some splattered paint on a canvas can qualified as art, put yourself in the artist’s shoes. Ask yourself why the artist could have picked those colors, why in those places on the canvas, why only those colors. And if that doesn’t yield satisfying results, find whatever is appealing to you and look at it for awhile, for art’s primary function is to be viewed.

Most importantly, teenagers in Minnesota have ample opportunities to become involved in any sort of medium. Reverred establishments such as Minnesota Institute of Arts, the Walker Art Center, the Minnesota Center for Book Arts, Guthrie Theater, (the list goes on) are chalk full of activities specifically directed toward teens and to get teens involved in the art creating process.

Striking up a new commitment in high school life is understandably difficult, but

appreciating a new area of life is considerably less-so, and arguably more enjoyable. There is a reason why there are schools and museums dedicated to this facet of society. The appeal is due to the fact that art can’t be wrong. It’s out there to be seen, appreciated and enjoyed by you. In a culture that has its youth enthralled with not-so-quality scripted reality shows (aka Jersey Shore) and music on the radio that covers three topics – partying, relationships, and money – it wouldn’t be any surprise if the art industry began to diminish.

In closing, we at the Talon exhort Minnehaha Academy students to take advantage of the opportunities around them. Looking for something to do on the weekend? Take a trip to an art museum with some friends, and you may be surprised with your feelings by the end of the night. Worst case scenario: see something you haven’t before.