I See a Woman Crying by Rineke Dijkstra is a video work depicting a group of school children ripping to shreds the notion that you have to be specifically educated about Art (with a capital A) in order to connect with artworks and the often very sophisticated and layered themes they employ. The kids observe and deconstruct Picasso’s Weeping Woman and invent elaborate backstory to explain the emotional content of the work and are completely earnest in their efforts to fully explore thematic possibilities.

I wish adults didn’t stop honestly engaging with artwork in this fashion for fear that they “don’t know anything about art” or are “just guessing”. Art is a lot more democratic than most realize and any reaction you have is the right reaction.

Here is the best link I could find online to the entire work in motion.

I understand that the artwork being made at the beginning of the last century was a radical departure from all of art history, but after cruising a million rooms full of mostly boring Picassos and Matisses (sorry), the coffee situation was getting dire. Trying to burn through the last thousand rooms of the upper level of the collection exhibitions at the Pompidou we almost missed this. Almost, but didn’t.

Wow.

I swear I didn’t monkey with the photo color or brightness. It really is that electric in person.