Here we go again, the Pavilion seems to think fine art should be split into age appropriate categories;
“We want to implement a concept where we get more kids and families into the Visual Arts Center,” said Smith, who hopes to boost attendance numbers by 25 percent in 2018.
“I think historically it’s been more of an adult-oriented area,” continued Smith. “Certainly much of it will continue to be focused on high quality art that adults are interested in, but we really need to get more young people interested in visual art and coming so they become lifelong patrons.”
Unless it is highly political in nature or pornographic (I’ve seen neither at the Pavilion) fine art is age appropriate for EVERYONE. If people think art is ‘more adult like’ or challenging, it is a perfect opportunity to have a conversation with your children about that art. Art can inspire but it should also be thought provoking.
It is troubling to me that one of our publicly funded art museums has management and directors that think visual art needs to be split up into age categories. I’m all for kid’s art classes and play areas at the Pavilion, but I don’t believe we need to turn the VAC into a childrens or family art museum. Art is subjective, it has always been. When it comes to taste or what you personally like in art, it has nothing to do with your age, it has to do with your preference. If your children don’t like an 18th century landscape, maybe it is because it bores them, not because they are too young to understand.
This is what happens when you remove art professionals from an art center. Chaos.
