Brain Food #818: Paying close attention in a crowded room

The space for understanding

Thoughts of the day

Some years ago, I found an unfinished painting in an antique market, signed by Henri Matisse. I considered it impossible to find a Matisse in a second-hand market in Milan, and assumed it was a fake. I still think about it today. How does the space in which we view art change the perception of the piece itself? Is music as impactful if enjoyed in one’s living room alone? Screenings at film festivals such as Venice and Cannes almost invite extreme reactions from the crowds, whether those are 15-minute long standing ovations, or critics leaving the room halfway through the film to make a statement.

Mark Rothko’s Seagram Murals were originally commissioned to be hung in the luxurious Four Seasons restaurant at the Seagram Building in Manhattan. Rothko was largely unknown at the time, and this would have been, perhaps, a prestigious opportunity for him to enhance his reputation. However, after visiting the restaurant, Rothko changed his mind. To some critics, it is surprising he had accepted in the first place. Considering Rothko advises viewers to approach his paintings from a distance of eighteen inches, choosing to place his work on the walls of a busy restaurant with extremely high ceilings would have not done it justice. Only those who were able to pay close attention would have appreciated the work.

Marshall McLuhan said, “The medium is the message,” proposing that the way a message is shared might affect its final delivery, potentially causing it to lose its meaning or significance. The space in which any message is consumed can play an important role in its final impact. And perhaps the same goes for the media we choose to use on a daily basis, to receive information, communicate with others, and present ourselves to the world. Sometimes, we need to create the right space for understanding. How often are we asking, or being asked, to pay close attention in a crowded room, where the ceilings are too high?

Rothko eventually reached fame (suggesting that foregoing one opportunity does not shut all future doors). The Seagram Murals have found the home they deserved, currently on display at the Tate Modern. The location of the unfinished Matisse painting remains unknown.

Mark Rothko, Untitled (section 3), 1959 (from the Tate Modern library)

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