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?

Fair enough!

Hmmmm - I'm thinking 'get over yourself' and yep - the whole thing is a non issue.

This!!

Did they say it was for Instagram? I took loads of photos at the Vatican including videoing the pope doing some sort of prayer / blessing. Reason being that I’m not remotely religious but housebound mother in law was very devoted catholic. It meant the world to her to know that her son had been and see the photos and videos.

Anyone watching me may have thought I was being disrespectful and not appreciating it in the right way (I.e. the same way that they were), but frankly I don’t care. If they want to be a judgemental twat based on a tiny part of a situation that’s their choice. Take from that what you will.

You could say this about anything though couldn’t you? Why do people bother taking photos of their holiday in the Maldives when much better photos of the same place exist online?

ha ha
thanks for linking the screaming thread

You sound like a scream!

I don’t unless there’s something in it that makes it personal. A face for example.

I wouldn't have an issue. If she wants a photo so be it, maybe just say no next time instead of being rude. I'm sure plenty of others would oblige

My thoughts too 😆

You should have said, “Sorry, I’m looking at this picture at the moment.” By being passive aggressive, you haven’t communicated that you weren’t happy with her behaviour, only that you’re a grumpy person.

I find it a really sad thing about our modern culture and one of the early posters who said about the Mona Lisa, I feel the same. I think the Mona Lisa must be the saddest painting in the world because no one ever looks at it anymore, they just snap it and move on

I don't think it's ever been any different, it's just been without camera phones. I did a tour of Europe years ago (before mobiles) and we did a tick list of things to see, it was very much, Yeo seen that, move on.

Some people like to see and take in every detail, others like a quick look and to move onto the next thing. I don't think it's sad at all, it's always been that way. It's just more noticeable because you can see the phones. As a pp said, it's a visual diary for people more than anything else (and yes, to show off too)

You were pretty arsey.

FFS it is an art gallery...that is what people are there for, to stand and look at the art.
I don't understand the need to disturb someone for a picture of themselves next to a painting?

It was 10 seconds of your time. YABU.

How about a bit of wailing as well

Opened the thread for this tbh 😅😅😅

Wow! That is a bit over the top!

I would not mind though I am crap at photos. It is just a nice thing to do. Costs nothing to be nice. It would have been over in minutes then they would be o their way and you could continue with staring at a portrait.

I was in the packed National Gallery recently and could hardly view any of the paintings for people standing in the way taking pictures. Really spoilt the experience, so I get this.

It is not like the photo moved away in the meantime!

The cinema analogy is daft OP it’s not like you missed 5 mins of a vital part of the plot of a painting

Perhaps you should hang a Do Not Disturb sign on your back in future?
I don’t understand the pretentiousness but then I probably don’t understand the snobbishness around art either.

Perhaps get together with the sistine Chapel screamer and form an art appreciation club?

An art gallery isn't like a cinema. A film is a continuous work which can be interrupted. Most normal people don't have uninterruptable chains of thought. Most move through the world interacting with those around us. It never would occur to me that I'd be interrupting your terribly important thought process.

You Don't sound like you were that rude. You could have said no. That would have been rude.

@Smoothiecarton I do not believe that galleries should only be available for the privileged few, and if anyone here knew me and my line of work they would accuse me of that.

To be honest though, implying that parents with toddlers and teenagers on school trips aren't capable of taking time to really look at a piece of art is massively generalising. I've seen teenagers from pretty disadvantaged backgrounds have profound and deep responses to art.

I think it's great that everyone accesses art galleries and that's exactly how it should be. I do think it is sad that so many people don't bother to actually look at the work, that doesn't mean I think art is for 'the privileged few'!

Just don't pull me away from my own experience if you want a photo. If people are swept up in social media culture then fine - but I also have the right to experience it how I want to. If you want a photo then take a selfie or ask the staff!

I’d think someone asking me to take a photo of them in that sort of setting was a bit of a twat, to be honest.

I would too. But I wouldn’t think any more of it than that - I’d do it and move on. It wouldn’t massively detract from the experience for me, or change the way I enjoyed the rest of the exhibition. So I don’t think you were unreasonable to be mildly irritated, but the rest of your reaction seems disproportionate. You’d have been better just saying to her, “Sorry - I’d rather not as I’m enjoying looking at it myself” at the time rather than stewing on the point.