HOW TO APPRECIATE ART

an interactive safety guide to art for the common man

ART TIP #2:
​Art is graffiti that's not cool enough to be outside.

Do you know what art is? Would you know how to respond to it if it were thrown in your face? Could you survive for an hour unaccompanied in an art gallery? If you're not sure about the answers to any of these questions, then this guide is for you. Art is not only colourful, but also provocative, and potentially very dangerous. We are on hand to equip you with the skills you need to safely and appropriately engage with art - whenever, wherever, and however you find it.

ART TIP #22:
​Drawing a white line round somebody's body isn't art. It's a murder investigation.

"An artist is somebody who produces things that people don't need to have."
ANDY WARHOL

ART TIP #19:
​Photography is only art if it's a photo of exotic wildlife or if it's black and white.

When we think about art, we think about people like Goya, like Bacon, like Van Gogh - but what we don't want is for anyone to get carried away and lose an ear. That is why, when Made Public were launching a new set of street murals in Romford, we devised this project, in order to make sure the people of Romford were properly trained and prepared to deal with an onslaught of art on their high street. The project was a huge success, and not a single person in Romford has been harmed physically or psychologically by the new art - and those murals are huge!

ART TIP #14:
​Clay isn't art. It's mud.

ART TIP #5:
​If a tree falls over, it's not art. But if it's cleaned up and moved to the foyer of a big city office block, then it is.

"An artist cannot speak about his art any more than a plant can discuss horticulture." 
​​KATIE PRICE

HOW TO APPRECIATE ART was originally commissioned by MADE PUBLIC for their COLOUR IN ROMFORD project. Several large street murals were put up around the high street as part of the project, and we were engaged to provide some interactive theatre for the launch of these murals. The performance included questionnaires for members of the public to complete and opportunities for the public to create their own art using our white overalls as canvases. We also led members of the public through a step by step safety guide to art, and presented a rooftop physical theatre display of all the different kinds of art. It was a fantastic chance to connect with ordinary members of the Romford public, and a wonderfully silly celebration of art.  

HOW TO APPRECIATE ART was devised by Nigel Munson and Chris Gunter, and directed by Nigel Munson.

We think this performance could make a fantastic alternative art tour round a gallery or museum. If you'd like to speak to us more about our ideas then please email [email protected].

Here is the wonderful project video from Made Public:

ART TIP #23:
​When browsing a gallery, make sure you are wearing a black turtleneck, otherwise no one will take you seriously.