What are the similarities between Art and Delivering Presentations?

Odili-Donald-Odita

Friday 28th February, 2014 – I had the immense pleasure of attending a lecture by Artist, Professor and Writer, Odili Donald Odita at the Barnes Foundation, Philedelphia.Odili Donald Odita is a Nigerian visual artist who has had an incredible career with numerous gallery and museum exhibitions – his works are on large industrial projects as well as in galleries.

Odili Donald Odita had a discussion about art on an intellectual level – about what artists were attempting to do with their art , in what ever medium they work. Odili was discussing the current exhibition at the Barnes Foundation by Yinka Shonibare MBE : Magic Ladders along with his own work. Odili focused on how artists like Yinka Shonibare use common influences of color, pattern and music to create a diverse range of artistic forms.

The discussion was enthralling, he raised many interesting concepts but I couldn’t help but think that with these following points, there was a real cross-over and similarity with art and delivering a presentation.

The artist needed to be Authentic– an artist can use ideas from various sources, put their own creative input into the ideas and then give back those ideas including their creativeness.
Then important concept here is to be Authentic with the delivery.When delivering presentations, this is the same – they are there to learn and be able to use the discussed ideas in their own world along with seeing the real you. As a presenter, sure discuss concepts others have discussed in the past but you need to be authentic – show your own passion , interest, enthusiasm about the presentation to really get your message across successfully.
By looking at art, it takes the viewer into a new place of consciousness. An artist wants to create a “Situational Pause” to make the viewer reassess their situation.This is precisely what a successful presentation does.A Successful presentation will take the audience into a new place of consciousness, bring a new awareness about the topic and make them think about their situation. If your presentation successfully does this , you will get your message across and most likely have your message stick in the minds of your audience.

You can do this with a story that your audience will identify with or by using emotion or even humour. Take your audience into a new place of consciousness and make them think!

So the similarities with art and delivering presentations are much closer than first thought – what situational pause can you put in your next presentation to make impact?

Join us at our Business Speakers Forum , 10th April, 2014 at the Chatswood club,
6 – 8.30pm. See: http://www.meetup.com/Business-Speakers-Forum/