To be rude to this woman in an art gallery

[hengelian]

I was in an exhibition in a large London gallery today, totally engrossed in the art works. I was staring at a painting and a woman interrupted me to ask me to take a photo of her in front of it.

I did it but I was quite off with her about it and probably a bit rude (said 'umm.. ok', took one photo and walked away, didn't ask her if it was OK etc).

I find it really rude that she interrupted me in an art gallery - to me this is like being interrupted in the middle of a movie at the cinema. I was experiencing a whole thought process which she dragged me out of so she could have a photo of a work she didn't even properly look at.

Art galleries aren't there for photos, they are there for you to look and experience.

AIBU?

You sound pompous, ridiculous and judgemental. People experience things in different ways. Sure you might not get wanting a picture, nor do I, but I even more don’t get you trying deliberately to be rude back to demonstrate her ‘rudeness’ when she wasn’t even being rude. Coming up calling you a c*, now that would be rude. Asking for a picture, no. Pull yourself together.

People respond to art in all manner of ways. To actually say, I didn’t even ask her if the photo was ok implied you considered your actions which makes you sound nasty and small-minded. Why not engage with her and explain why you didn’t appreciate it or discuss the art? You might have had a meaningful discussion or made a new friend instead of writing about it after the fact on the internet which won’t change anything.

I think it's unfair to say it's a mild inconvenience. Clearly @hengelian was most put out. I feel like this when someone knocks on my door uninvited. They might only be a few mins but it spoils the moment and it can take a while to get back to where you were....if at all.
I accept the huge majority of people wouldn't find this an issue and given that she was in a public space I'd say it's not unreasonable to approach a stranger for a photo....which BTW, I ghink are perfectly acceptable.

Love it! That light effect reminds me of a sculture trail in the Forest of Dean. In one forest glade it looked as though there was a spotlight shining down. I did a double-take & realised they'd put in some much lighter soil in one spot, to give the effect. Really neat. (Unless of course it was completely natural & accidental.😂)

sculpture

This is a joke post right

Jeez talk about peak Mumsnet entitlement mode

Ignore people saying you're pompous, nothing could be further from the truth. There are two types of people, people interested in the world/ other things/ people and people interested in themselves. I think it's clear who was who in this interaction.

Ignore people saying you're pompous, nothing could be further from the truth. There are two types of people, people interested in the world/ other things/ people and people interested in themselves. I think it's clear who was who in this interaction
The pretentious part wasn't being interested in art.
Lots of people are interested in art.

The pretentious part was the dramatic I was so engrossed in my superior appreciation of art and this non-appreciative ruined my deep thought process. AIBU to think photos have no place. Art is there to look at and appreciate. They probably just wanted a photo for their Instagram, unlike me who was so engrossed at appreciating the depth of the art carry on.

Ignore people saying you're pompous, nothing could be further from the truth.
😂

Is this a real post ?? 😳

I have a painting hanging in a very prestigious art gallery in London and at the Varnishing Day all the artists were asking other artists if they could take a photo of them. I myself was asked by artists whose works sell for hundreds of thousands if I would like them to take a photo for me without me asking.....its no big deal you need to chill out ...if it was a private collection fair enough, but it's a public gallery...yes you bought a ticket but you don't own the joint....besides if someone asked you to take a photo you should feel chosen and do it with a kind heart....otherwise just say no ...imagine if the world was full of lots of you....

😂 oh dear, I hope your thought process is OK.

First time seeing this 😂😂 I can’t believe that’s not a wind up!

YABU and YABU to compare it to being in the cinema, they are two completely different things.

we have societal norms for how you behave in a cinema. It would be completely unreasonable to disturb someone watching a film to ask them to take a photo. We don’t have those same “rules” for an art gallery.

But that's the excitement & camaraderie of setting up an exhibtion/seeing it for the first time (congrat's - they threw me out twice 😜).

OP feels the way you would if someone stopped you while you were carrying your work in for assessment & asked if you'd take her photo or guide her in while she parked. OP may be right or wrong, but I think that's a closer analogy.

YANBU, but you should have said yes, you did mind

YANBU, when I went go to the Natural History Museum or British Museum I get huffed at for reading the accompanying text and am in the way of people who wa nt to take a picture of the object and move on.

That's so rude. If be tempted to huff back

I was disappointed when Advance Sesrching the OP as Imwas looking forward to lots of other over dramatic huffy threads - but sadly she's new to Mumsnet to slim pickings. (Or name change)

😂

This thread makes me wonder if I'm doing galleries and museums all wrong. Somehow I manage to appreciate what I'm looking at, read the information I want to read and not end up having endless encounters with uncultured people who want a selfie for Instagram.

I often see lots of other people managing just fine too.

😆😆😆

She was so, so unreasonable. Honestly. Fuck her. You should've hit her. I'd've hit her.

Interrupting you like that???????
She might as well've taken a dump right there in the room.

Thanks for sharing- I hadn’t seen this either 😂😂