Is there an Art-Specific Mode? Comparing the Experience of Art Appreciation in a Gallery and a Shop Context Using VR

Abstract

What makes the encounter with artworks so unique? Many report a certain aura of art galleries where art is typically perceived, appreciated and lauded. We enter a certain mode of art experiencing, which can render even the experience of the most banal and commonplace objects meaningful. Aesthetics philosophers have discussed this phenomenon for over 300 years, mainly regarding the experience of beauty. However, it was seldom examined empirically, especially not through exploring raw and lived interactions with art. To address this gap, we designed two separate VR environments (an art gallery and a furniture store) and exhibited the same nine artworks in each. Participants (n = 32) were randomly allocated to one of the two environments, where they were given complete freedom to interact with the artworks. Participants completed two structured interviews: immediately after and two weeks after the VR visit, and the data were analysed using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Overall, five superordinate themes were identified: 1) Visual Exploration, 2) Cognitive Processing, 3) Feelings and Emotions, 4) Personal Reference, and 5) Evaluation. In almost all themes, clear differences between the groups were found: gallery participants drew and linked more associations and interpretations, formed deeper sets of meanings, and reported having more peak emotional experiences and elaborate personal connections. Art processing created greater interconnections between the visual, cognitive, and affective aspects of experience, culminating in more fulfilling experiences. We conclude that there are indications that an art-specific mode of experiencing indeed exists and provide a preliminary sketch of its nature.