Experiencing Art
In-person or online. Does it matter?
In galleries and museums –dedicated temples of art — the viewing context makes a huge difference. We step into the world of the artist and gallery owner. We are immediately and unconsciously hit by the placement of the paintings, the gallery’s walls, the lighting, and the furniture. There’s an undeniable magic in this experience — the hush of the gallery, the texture of a painting under our fingertips, and the actual physical presence afforded by the sheer closeness with the art object itself.
Traditionally, we’ve soaked up this ambiance and embraced the total experience. In these temples of art, we casually saunter by a painting, perhaps meditating on one more than another and then backtrack to gaze once more at a special piece that lingers in our mind.
Now, we’re experiencing a new frontier — online art viewing. No longer bound by geographical limitations or gallery hours, original artwork from anywhere in the world can be viewed online by anyone from anyplace at any time.
Viewing art online offers unparalleled convenience and global access. We look at art in the Congo or Chad and we don’t have to fly to Africa to see it. At the same time, these digital images can seem disconnected to our personal experiences.
High-resolution images and virtual tours strive to recreate the experience we have in galleries and museums, but currently, they don’t capture the intricacies of the artwork.
Let’s face it: digital experiences are transactional, and they emphasize viewing rather than experiencing.
The shift from experiencing art in-person to viewing it online brings a transformative change in our perception of original art. It alters our psychological experience: both the viewing of it and the takeaway.
As a psychologist and an artist, I know the importance of emotions while viewing art. The subjective nature of art is what makes it deeply personal. It is what creates the experience we have when we leave a gallery and say to our friend, “Wow, was that powerful!”
This tech-tonic shift in the art world is not being discussed yet it alters everything. In the past two decades, numerous books and articles have hit the shelves screaming about the brain on art, neuroaesthetics [a new term since 1999] and the brain of the beholder of art.
No one is talking about the viewing contexts and no one is talking about the art-making experience during these technological times. This article — and my next one — is dedicated to examining this huge shift in the art world.
So, whether you’re a traditional gallery-goer or a digital explorer, bear in mind there’s no right or wrong way to experience art. It’s all about personal connection and finding the magic in each piece, wherever you are.
