Our brush with video art

Today I went to the Gallery of Modern Art with my 4yo daughter. It's holding an exhibition called the Asian Pacific Triennial of Art. I noticed something interesting about my daughter. She loves to watch the video art. I don't. I started to wonder why.

Is it a generational thing? Maybe it's an artform I don't relate to and don't reaaly understand. Video art really only started to become big when I was leaving Art School in the late 1980s.

Maybe it's because she loves TV and she gets it. But then I grew up with TV too. Was it so different growing up with TV in the 1970s?

I haven't quite worked out what it is that motivates her and tomorrow I'll ask her. But one thing I do know. I watched it with her. I asked her questions about it. I was interested in her interest. I didn't tell her it was boring. I didn't tell her it was stupid. I didn't tell her not to bother.

I want her to be able to make up her own mind. I want her to develop her own likes. I want her to be free of as many constraints that I may impose as I can. I know that ultimately I will influence who she is and what she likes. But I don't want to impose.