I didn't anticipate the sheer, bemused pleasure I feel watching the kid laugh out loud every time she sees her most recent favorite artwork, a major, early Joseph Kosuth at the Hirshhorn Museum whose title is as obvious as can be: Four Colors Four Words.
Part of her enjoyment comes from being able to read the words herself, of course. But also from getting it: the art is was it says and says what it is. She finds this hilarious.
It makes me wonder what it's like to grow up with conceptual and contemporary art, not just the "pretty picture" kind, or even the "well, what do you see?" type of modernism/abstraction that seems to be the norm [or maybe we're spoiled, and it's the current ideal?] in most early art education.
Anyone know some good discussion or research or debate about that? Meanwhile, I feel a little bad for the unprepared art teachers in the kid's future. I hope they'll be able to keep up.
I feel like I could get into a pretty spirited discussion with my six-year-old over whether that piece is actually four words or three - he's in a serious categorization and analysis stage.