When time is lost ... so is art

There are some pieces of art that need no explanation. Even if you haven't seen them in person, you likely know of the massive size of the Colosseum, the painstaking detail of the Sistine Chapel or the spectacular aura of the Trevi Fountain. And when you're standing in front of them, it's impossible to turn away.

But what about art that's more commonly seen, such as paintings or statues? Sure, they might be beautiful or old, but without context — at least to me — they mean nothing.

Even in Italy, where I spent the last three weeks with the likes of Michelangelo and the ancient Greeks, I found myself simply glancing at a piece and then moving on to the next marble bust of an emperor. Most descriptions were either nonexistent or in Italian, so I had no idea what each man had done to deserve a statue. There was too much to see and not enough time to absorb what we were seeing.

My professor recognized that it's difficult to understand the meaning behind the objects we saw over and over in the few moments we had. Try to interpret the drawings, he urged us. Picture the Greek and Roman towns as they were in their heydays. Find the stories behind them.

Yet it was far easier to understand during the rare times when he just told us why the art was important. This is one of the only Greek paintings still intact. Jesus Christ's blood allegedly fell onto steps two, nine and 11 of this seemingly innocuous church. Those are the chains that imprisoned St. Peter in Jerusalem. Then, finally, we could step back and realize how much everything we were seeing truly matters.

This rushed method of consumption seems to follow the trend of the rest of our lives. We have 32 GB iPods instead of a few 10-track CDs. We stream movies online because we don't deem them valuable enough to buy or complex enough to watch multiple times. We rush to get from place to place, meeting to meeting, only to realize we haven't enjoyed what's happening in front of us.

How odd that we choose to take in art this way, like we deign to afford a beautiful piece of work a moment of our time. Art should be a chance — an excuse, even — to slow down and look and think and wonder. It's why I write for this section: to remind readers that students are doing incredible things every day, things that we so often overlook in favor of our own busy lives.

So next time you have a spare hour, go to an art gallery or a movie or a concert or wherever you used to entertain yourself when you had the time, and make sure you know what you're seeing. Art is still around, and it's as beautiful as ever if you take the time to feel it.

mcfischer@umdbk.com