The contemplation of works of art in galleries and museums it can have a big effect on people’s mood, stress, and well-being. But, does the same thing happen with the contemplation of art in the digital space?
A new study by psychologists MacKenzie Trupp and Matthew Pelowskifrom University of Vienna (Austria), has investigated whether viewing art online also has this effect. His conclusion: A brief three-minute visit to an online art or culture exhibition also shows significant positive effects on subjective well-being.
In the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, arts and cultural institutions rapidly moved from fixed buildings to the Internet. For the first time, digital museums and online art galleries became the center of public attention.
This had two effects. First, art and cultural objects could be accessed from the sofas of citizens around the world. Second, art had the opportunity to reach a much larger audience than before.
In the last decade, scientists have conducted numerous investigations showing that art can have a positive impact on health and well-being. However, it was unknown whether these effects could also be felt over the Internet.
In this new research, published in the scientific journal ‘Frontiers in Psychology’, they asked the participants to visit art exhibitions accessible through smartphones, tablets and computers. Before and after the visit, psychological state and well-being were measured to determine the extent to which viewing art could be beneficial.
The results showed that even very brief visits can have significant effects, leading to decreased negative mood, anxiety, and loneliness, as well as increased subjective well-being. These results were comparable to those of other interventions, such as nature experiences and visits to physical art galleries.
Upon further investigation, the personal subjective experiences of individuals became an important aspect to consider. The research team found that the more meaningful or beautiful the art seemed to people and the more positive feelings they had while viewing it, the greater the benefit.
These results demonstrate that brief viewing of art online can improve and support well-being. In addition, this study emphasizes artistic interventions, a recommendation that can be applied in situ or made specific to each viewer. This opens up new avenues for research and application in spaces such as waiting rooms, hospitals, and rural areas where access to art is limited.
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