When I hear someone say, “I appreciate art,” I cringe. The speaker means, “I understand that this boring subject is somehow important to you,” or, “I see how much effort you put into this pointless activity.”
If you say, “But that’s not me! I really do appreciate art; I visit museums,” I still quarrel with you. Art is a necessity for me–like oxygen. Would you say that you ‘appreciate blood circulation?’ No.
If you’re anything like me, art is not something to be appreciated. I go to places where there is art for nourishment. Good art replenishes me; bad art is a poison that diminishes.
