How We See: A Sensitive Subject
By: Integrated Art Group
Category: Art, Health Care, Installations, Uncategorized
There is a lot more than meets the eye when we think about how we see.
Our eyes are sensitive to light, color, temperature, distance and other environmental variables. But, it doesn’t stop there; how we see is also a result of experiences (our eyes see lines and motion, but our brains are responsible for interpreting what we’re seeing), mental capacity (we see differently when we’re tired, or if we’re feeling excited), and biology (the same shade of red will look very different to someone who is color blind than to someone who is not.)
According to the University of Illinois at Chicago Ophthalmology department, the main function of the eye is to “convert light from the outside world into electrical nerve impulses. These impulses then travel to the part of the brain responsible for vision, where they are interpreted as a visual scene.”
When it comes to how we see art, experts have gone as far as eye-tracking studies to determine patterns, behaviors and visual perceptions. When the Frontiers in Neuroscience performed their study, they used pieces with different focal points, colors and designs — all of which played roles in how the subjects studied the pieces with their eyes.
How we see is something artists take into consideration when commissioned to create pieces for public view. Artists are open to considering the physical environment (How will the lighting hit the artwork? How much distance will be between the viewer and the piece?) And how viewers might be feeling when they see it (If they’re in the waiting room of the prenatal wing of the hospital, will they potentially be anxious? Excited? Worried?).
Understanding that there are a variety of factors and variables that go into how people see (physical environment, biology, personal experiences, and emotion) takes an experienced eye, especially when considering what pieces to include in your space that will make the most impact.
posted by Catherine
Blog at WordPress.com. Theme: Duotone by Automattic.
