With a show of hands, how many of you enjoy spending time in museums and art galleries? Now, how many of you enjoy going on guided tours of museums? I'm guessing the number of you who raised your hands for the second question was significantly lower.
I have always enjoyed museums and art galleries. I'm drawn to the visual aspects of such places; whether it be the architectual details of the buliding, the vibrant colors and distinct lines of a painting, the faces of people painted long ago whose eyes pierce your soul and draw you in, the stories represented by organic artifacts from an ancient culture, details in photography, life-size sculptures, or landscapes that bid you to drink deep of the beauty captured on canvas. I like to examine the details, absorb the beauty, and let the pieces speak to me. I like to ponder the stories and meanings behind them.
However, when it came to a guided tour, I would get so bored and check out. I dreaded them during school field trips. I would have rather pulled my hair out or climbed the walls, than listen to this person give fact after fact about some event in history that didn't interest me enough to keep my attention. And it wasn't even that the subject was boring--I could be fascinated by the objects being discussed--it was the presentation which bored me.
I realized, in highschool, that I am a kinesthetic learner. I cannot sit still for long periods of time, and I do not absorb well, audibly, if I am not being engaged in other ways. Depending on the speaker's presentation, I have a hard time following what they are saying, unless I take detailed notes; but if they talk fast, forget it. So, when the musuem Guide was going on and on about the history and facts of a subject--even if it was interesting--I was unable to follow and retain for very long at a time, and would, thus, get bored quickly.
Well, today, I went on a tour led by a friend I respect; and I was actually sad when it was over and couldn't believe that it had already been two hours. I never got bored once, and was able to follow and stay engaged with just about everything that was being said. For, it is all about presentation and whether or not you are repeating facts verbatum, or engaging your audience and involving them in the story being portrayed.
This tour was unlike any other I had ever been a part of, and for that I am truly greatful. I learned so much and have a new appreciation for sections of the museum and ancient cultures I otherwise avoided. We toured the Egytian, Asian, and American Indian wings of the museum, today, and while I've always been interested in these cultures, I would shy away from these areas. It was because I could feel the weight and presence of the deities respresented, and because I didn't have a grid to comprehend or truely appreciate the complexity of all I was seeing. All I could feel was the tension of the spiritual realm, and it made me uncomfortable.
He explained the reasonings, background and stories behind what we were seeing, and helped us to be aware of the presence behind the artifacts. All of the artifacts on display were created for a purpose and, usually, for a deity. There is an underlying current of presence that goes beyond what we we can see visually; that our bodies are aware of. (That's why I feel so heavy--like I cannot breathe, at times--when I am in certain places.) So, we need to be engaging all of our senses, not just vision, when interacting with a relic of history or an artist's interpretation on canvas. What is the story behind it? What is the presence that it is communicating? What is the artist trying to convey? It really changed the way I view "art" and gave me an understanding of how to engage with what I am seeing.
I really appreciated what was said about these ancient cultures, and how we, in America, have this mindset that just because we don't understand why societies do things or don't speak the same language; we assume they weren't as smart as us. These societies were highly sofisticated and advanced for their time, especially the Egyptians. Just because they view the world and communicate differently than us does not make them lesser. I've always despised this arrogant theology, and yet it tries to invade my own thinking, at times, as it is so ingrained into the fabric of our nation. The blood of the Native Americans cries out as a testimony to these ancient predjudices.
In regards to the worship of false gods and the contstruct of images, we discussed why a society would build it's entire worldview and system around, and invest all of it's wealth and resources into the worship of all those false gods? You wouldn't invest all your time, energy and resources into something you were convinced didn't matter or wasn't real, would you? It made me think about how there are always counterfeit gods and systems of religion which exalt themselves above Creator G-d and parade as the real deal. They have real power, presence, structure, and ideals and a set of rules. The deities performed signs and wonders and struck fear in people's hearts. They demanded things from the people. Though counterfeit, the gods were real and the people trusted and feared them. In our present society, we don't worship the gods of ancient Egypt; we worship the gods of money, fashion, and self. If we do not set our hearts in worship to the true and living G-d, there will always be lesser gods and systems of false religion to spend our lives on. So, you see, we are not that different from ancient civilizations; we just see and express things differently.
We also discussed the role of technology in our society, and how we see nothing wrong with the fact that we don't have a tangible relationship with our money. We will never hold most of it in our hands; it just exists in numerical form on a virtual screen, and we have faith that it will be in our accounts when we need it. We are also so connected virtually, by the use of technology, that we have become almost entirely disconnected with the people and world around us. I have been starting to despise technology for this very reason. We long for tangible experiences and a deep connection with the world and people around us; that is what makes ancient cultures so appealing. They knew where they came from and where they were going. They knew where their food and clothing came from and they knew their neighbors. Their world was much smaller, interconnected, and intimate. These are the things we are missing in a world controlled by technology, and this is something I ponder, often.
I learned so much today; for the first time, I actually enjoyed a museum tour, and look forward to gaining more insights on the next one! I look forward to taking what I have learned and going through the museum, again, with fresh understanding, and learn to look beyond what I initially see. I can now raise my hand for both questions, and I am thankful!
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