As this most unusual year draws to a close, let’s look back at what we accomplished.

I’ve always felt somewhat guilty about my travels to view art, that they were nothing more than a selfish endeavor, especially in a time when people are almost afraid to admit something is beautiful, let alone journey to see it. But I think these writers would say that the act of perusal was just as important as the art, that now they can’t separate the art from their quest.

These essays show that there is no one right way to look at art, or even what one finds when they do look no matter how common the art may be.