Ways of Seeing

Posted on by The Wandering Art Historian

Ways of Seeing is a powerful collection of essays that explore the impact of what it means to really see something.  Rooted in a discussion of art, Ways of Seeing is a book for anyone who wants to research the everlasting affect images have on humans.  John Berger is credited as the author – as it is based on his television special which aired on the BBC in 1972 – and each essay tackles the different ways in which we see certain things: women, oil paintings, advertising, etc.  Each topic of discussion begins with a direct connection to art and art’s influence on how we see images in the present – whether it’s 1972 or 2018.

This book had a profound affect on me as it articulated some highly esoteric concepts in a very direct and straightforward way.  It asks the reader some extremely challenging questions: Are women merely objects to be observed?  Is capitalism stunting democracy’s growth and potential?  Does advertising sell more than just objects to be acquired?  There are no easy answers and, more often than not, the answers are deeply disturbing.  It also feels wildly relevant in 2018 with the advent of the Internet and social media and with our perpetual reliance on advertising, consumerism and the acquisition of stuff.

 

2 thoughts on “Ways of Seeing”

  1. This book and the author have had a profound effect on me too! I found myself going back to re-read passages again as well as to discover other writing by John Berger that I got for myself. Reading has had a deep influence on my art practice. And this book especially opened me to that as a real avenue for growth for me!

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I am writer and artist with a degree in art history who loves to talk to people about art. I have spent the last seven years building up The Wandering Art Historian “brand” as a way to connect with people who want to learn more about art. I give lectures and presentations and teach classes and host book club discussions with a creative or artistic connection. I also write about local artists, events, museums, and exhibitions to promote the arts in Central Florida. In 2021, I had a creative crisis. I struggled with authenticity in the art making process. I decided to make myself vulnerable and find out what a real, genuine Adrienne H. Lee artwork would look like. The process was challenging and emotional and revelatory. I learned that if necessity is the mother of invention, then authenticity is the mother of reinvention. I reinvented myself and learned an entirely new medium. The resulting artwork surprised me, and it will surprise you, too. Some people wish for a fairytale ending. For me, the fairy tale is only the beginning.