Ways of Seeing by Paulina Valdés

In general aspects the text written by John Berger is an analogy between art and the way that we see or perceive art in terms of past and present time. One of the aims that the author mentions is “the way we see things are affected by what we know or what we believe”. It means that there is a relation between things and ourselves and when we do this, it includes consciousness of the world. Thus, our past and present are involved. When we see a picture it has to be meaningful to us. We usually try to find something of our past which can have a connection with our present life. Relating this to the particular way we perceive art, it has enormously changed through the time. In ancient times, paintings were unique and just few people or elites had access to appreciate it. Paintings also were in specific places like chapel or churches.

Nevertheless, nowadays there are a lot of people who have the opportunity to appreciate an art work. It has been possibly by the invention of the camera. Thanks to the camera, the way that men saw changed. The author mentions: “the visible came to mean something different to them”. Now, with the camera we can see and be seen. Moreover, the invention of the camera changed the perception that men used to see paintings. Men could make reproductions of original paintings, changing or destroying the uniqueness of its images and at the same time its meanings. As a result, its meanings are going to be several because since here, everyone is going to be able to look at any picture in a different place and also with a different cost. Pictures, paintings or visual art reproductions have become available, valueless and free for everyone.

To conclude, I would like to refer about the importance to be aware of our past and present. Our past is important because it helps us to be conscious about what we are. In other words, we are our past because we build our life as social and historical human beings. The past forces us to realize if we have been or not active subjects in the construction of our own life. For this reason if we are aware of our past it is going to help us to face the present with a big responsibility. In terms of education is the same. As a future teacher I think that it is important to look at our past because we are going to be more conscious about our mistakes. Besides, we could realize if we have been able to be responsible in making changes to have a better progress. We can not forget that we are free to choose if we want to participate or not in the construction for a better society and education is the main issue to do it because as a future teacher it is in our hands to make a change.