Ever run into one of those people who think they know everything about something and treat you like some insect when you don’t?  Believe it or not, the art world has those kinds of snobs too.  In fact they are some of the most well known snobs out there.  Since you have a definite taste for art, you’re bound to run into one or more at some time.  Today we’re talking about how to deal with an art snob.

What is an Art Snob?

A quick internet search will reveal the definition of an art snob as follows:

“a person who believes himself or herself an expert or connoisseur in a given field and is condescending toward or disdainful of those who hold other opinions or have different tastes regarding this field: a musical snob.”

From this definition, we can glean that a snob (in general) is someone who believes him or herself in possession of superior skills or understanding of one or more knowledge fields.  This person then treats those with different opinions, different tastes, and/or different education as though they are less worthy of attention.  Art snobs may even be dismissive, exclusive, condescending, or display other forms of rude behavior towards others.

In the field of art, this often manifests itself as someone who thinks they are better educated and more cultured than you are just because.  They need not have a good reason for feeling so.

Art snobs can be any age, gender, etc. There’s no stereotype for who and what an art snob is.

How to Recognize an Art Snob

Some signs that a person is an art snob may include:

• Carrying him or herself with an air of deep self-satisfaction when in an art environment such as an art gallery or museum
• Excessive use of art jargon (language specific to the art world which the average person may not understand)
• Staring for excessively long periods of time at a particular piece of art
• Dominating the conversation when the topic is art
• Only showing interest in established and up-and-coming artists rather than in the art itself

• Being closed-minded when it comes to differing opinions on the same piece of art
• Dismissing, ridiculing, or debating to the point of browbeating their opinion on someone with a differing opinion
• Excluding those who have a different opinion or “less educated” opinion from conversations and other social settings
• Making cutting remarks about a person with a differing opinion on art behind their back
• Making others uncomfortable with their conversation and actions listed above

How to Deal With an Art Snob

Once you’ve established that someone in your current social circle is an art snob, there’s a few things you can do about the problem.

Confront the Snob

Many times, people might not realize that they are being snobby.  If you feel that confronting is the best option, take the snob someplace private and discuss the matter.  Point out exactly what was said or done which was snobby.

Expect a great deal of defense when you take this approach.  Stand your ground politely.  Then leave.  Let the snob have a chance to think about what you had to say before he or she returns to the social situation you left.  Many times, this will correct the behavior even if it doesn’t immediately correct the thought process.

Snobs are often cowards underneath.  If confronted, they will act in their own best interest.  If that means stopping an undesirable behavior for a time, they will do it.

Your confrontation need not be as dramatic as displayed in this photo to the left (top), but it does need to be private.

Ignore the Behavior

If private confrontation isn’t a good option or hasn’t worked in the past, you might consider simply ignoring the behavior.  Snobs often want to be the center of attention and show off what they think they know.  If you remove that pay-off, they will eventually stop the unwelcome behavior.

If you choose this method, continue to interact with the rest of the group normally.  It’s best if everyone knows and understands this in advance if possible.  If you can’t set that arrangement up ahead of time, be consistent with ignoring the snobbery.  The rest of the group will eventually pick up the idea.

Ignoring unwanted behavior is a common technique for teaching children. It still works on many adults. Consider this option before taking more drastic action to deal with the situation.

Steer Clear of Art Conversation and Activities

Choose social settings and conversation topics which will not feed into the art snob’s ego.  Don’t visit art galleries or museums with the art snob.  Learn to steer the conversation in different directions to avoid discomfort.

This is particularly good advice for when the next suggestion is not a viable solution: such as for a spouse or other family member.

Remove Yourself

If the snobbish behavior continues, your best bet is to remove yourself from the uncomfortable situation.  This could even mean removing yourself from a social situation or two. While I can’t say that the snob will miss your company (likely he or she will not), removing yourself will save you a great deal of discomfort and, depending upon the severity, a needless confrontation which could end very badly.

For long term issues with snobbery, it would be best to remove yourself permanently from the same social circles as the snob is a member of.  This will put an end to the poor behavior that you have to deal with.

I don’t lightly suggest ending friendships over snobbery for a reason. I really don’t recommend cutting off family members over art snobbery for the same reason. Only use this last option as a final resort.

Conclusion

With these four tools in hand, you’ll be ready to deal with an art snob when you come into contact with one.  Just don’t forget that art snobs are people too.  Try not to make a scene.  Be polite but stand your ground.  If you remember all of this, you should be able to quickly deal with the uncomfortable situation of having an art snob in the group.

Disclaimer: To the best of my knowledge, none of the individuals depicted here are art snobs.