You're listening to life kit from NPR.
Hey, everybody, it's Marielle.
A little while back, our digital editor, Malika Gharib saw this viral TikTok video of a young woman looking at an oil painting at an art museum.
Titled the execution of Lady Jane Grey.
It tells the story of the final moments of Lady Jane, who is beheaded for treason at the age of 17.
In the painting, she's blindfolded and unsteadily feeling her way toward the chopping block.
And I thought that it was kind of incredible how you can see this look on the TikToker's face, how moved she was by the painting.
Even though it was hundreds of years old, she was able to relate to something in the piece of this woman being executed, and I wanted to feel that kind of depth of emotion, too.
When I look at art, I kind of felt jealous of her almost.
Malik is an artist herself, a cartoonist and a graphic novelist, and she spends a lot of time thinking about art.
But I think there's a difference between just, like, looking at art and connecting with a piece of art, having a deep emotional connection to a piece of art, where it moves you to maybe tears.
The truth is, when Malika went to a museum, she'd pay, like, $30 and then wander around feeling stressed, like, I have to get my money's worth.
Sometimes I feel overwhelmed by how much information I'm getting at the museum.
Like, am I supposed to read every plaque?
Am I supposed to look at every piece of art?
And because of all those overwhelming feelings, like, I just.
I never have a good time at a museum.
What she wanted was the chance to be changed by a piece of art.
You know, she wanted to have one of those life altering, perception shifting experiences like that Tiktoker, or at the very least, to have a good time.
On this episode of Life Kit, which first aired in January, Malka learned how to do that, how to look at art, navigate a museum, and have a meaningful experience.