For a start, one should have desire to understand art, inner motivation to take some time and effort, look and try to see...
Seven questions to ask yourself when looking at art :
1 Does the artwork tell a story?
2 Are there any issues in the work?
3 what kind of images, objects, materials or symbols are there?
4 Does it have a title?
5 Is colour important?
6 Does the work interact with the space it is in?
7 How was the work made?
Paul Merrick, a contem porary artist and Smart Arts course teacher, suggests keeping an open mind: "It's not necessary to have an art degree to enjoy contemporary art, just curiosity. We're all inquisitive, so it's important to simply go in and ask yourself, your friends, even members of staff questions about the art galleries are much more open places now, so the crew members tend to be knowledgeable, friendly and willing to talk. If you hate a piece, ask yourself why you hate it rather than just dismissing it. The key thing to remember is that there's no single way to interpret a work just allow yourself to think about it. "
Today's media tends to bombard people with quick, easy answers, so the idea of really having to spend time looking at and thinking about something as unusual as contemporary art can be intimidating. But if you take genuine curiosity into a gallery, it can be incredibly rewarding.