A “must-have” guide for anyone interested in deepening their cultural experiences, this easy-to-carry handbook gives users practical advice on observing, enjoying, thinking about and feeling in response to the arts so that they can get the most out of their next visit to the theater, gallery, or museum. Self-contained chapters provide an essential companion guide to understanding a specific art—painting, sculpture, architecture, music, theater, opera and musical theater, dance, prints, photos and digital art, and movies—with concisely defined key terms one should know relating to that particular art, as well as a clear and insightful explanation of its process of creation. Presents a commentary in each chapter defining the art in some social, historical, or psychological context, and shares authors' recollections and reflections of his own encounters with works of art in the particular medium under discussion. Offers easy-to-follow instructions for understanding and encountering a specific art form for the first time, and provides a handy page of reference for each art form that users can photocopy and take with them on their next cultural outing. For all readers who appreciate and want to become more knowledgeable about the arts in general.
This guide assists readers through their encounters with the best in human culture and creativity. Each chapter concisely introduces an art form through its historical or social importance, its essential vocabulary, and its important styles or artists. From there, each chapter leads readers through the unique experience of the art and ends with a companion guide which focuses on questions to ask, terms to remember and a reminder that readers should think and feel for themselves.
In each chapter:
- The Tool Kit
- A glossary of everything the reader needs to know about a particular art form
- Style Guide
- Important styles or principal artists
- Step-by-step directions to guide the reader through the experience of an art
- A Companion to the Art