The best essay assignment I got during my sculpture degree was to pick the work of art that I liked the least and write about why I disliked it so much. It's an

The best essay assignment I got during my sculpture degree was to pick the work of art that I liked the least and write about why I disliked it so much. It's an excellent practice that often leads to an appreciation of the work, or at the very least an understanding of other people's pleasure in it, which in itself can be enlightening. It's difficult to do without the discipline of an essay - just thinking about it doesn't force you to explicitly articulate your dislike as much - although it's also possible in cordial discussions with someone who does like it. I came round to artists like Rachel Whiteread and Tracey Emin because of that process and it widened my horizons considerably.