What is contemporary art and do we know it when we see it?

What does it mean to us to go see art?
Do we know what we intend to do?
Do we think about receiving the work and looking into the work?
Are we willing to be confused and affected by mystery?
Can we expose ourselves to the indefinable sensations art can induce?


The popular art show at museums across the nation is one that is just that, popular. Holland Cotter, in the New York Times article, Top of the Wish List: No More Blockbusters, points us toward smaller, manageable, more accessible exhibitions. In this scenario, the art may be more visible as the viewer may not have to bring his mind past the grandiose idea of being in the same room with a celebrity.