Growing up, I wasn’t a child who was good at art. I couldn’t draw, I couldn’t sculpt well, I wasn’t an artist. However, I always admired and appreciated art, the colours, the shapes, and the meaning behind each work of artwork. When we would go on field trips or learn about different artists, I always admired what they did, how they did it, and the effort they put into each item. That is exactly how I felt when we went to the Two Rivers Gallery.
We were led through the gallery by a wonderful woman named Sophia, who first took us through the front of the gallery to an exhibition about microplastics. There was an array of artwork, varying from paintings, sculptures, and tapestries hanging from the ceiling. We were given time to explore each art piece, taking it in and the message it was portraying.
We then moved on to the back room, where there was a different exhibition, highlighting the downfall of the world through climate change. In this room, Sophia led us through a guided auditory experience, where we each chose a sculpture in the room and listened as Sophia guided us through different steps and ways to analyze the artwork. We then chose another piece of art and went through the same process, the process bringing up different thoughts, feelings, and emotions to each person. The sculptures were unsettling yet powerful, each highlighting different aspects of a global climate crisis (oil spills, overconsumption of animals, rising water levels, etc.). Truthfully, I did not expect to be as moved as I was by this artwork, I did not expect to feel so unsettled and nervous, uncomfortable and aware of what is going on in the world around me, but it brought greater appreciation for the artwork and the message from the artist.
This trip gave me a greater appreciation of artwork, especially now that I am older and more knowledgeable. Being able to appreciate artwork not only for its beauty but for the message it conveys is something I didn’t think or know about as a child. I know that I will be taking more trips to art galleries in the future, and I look forward to doing so.
