Contextualizing information enhances the experience of environmental art.

Abstract

Environmentally-themed art is increasingly addressed in research as a means to raise awareness for environmental problems and motivate pro-environmental behavior. However, as researchers begin to systematically study environmental art, influencing factors must be addressed-for example, the effect of presenting contextualizing information. In the present study, 123 participants saw an environmental artwork with or without contextualizing information in a between-subjects design and rated the artwork on various variables regarding its aesthetic value and pro-environmental impact. Additionally, eye movement was recorded using mobile eye tracking glasses to gain insight into the visual processing of the artwork. The results showed that information presentation increased personal meaning, which was in turn associated with increased liking, interest and emotional responses. The average duration of fixations was shorter for participants in the information group, indicating easier processing possibly due to the guidance of the provided information. However, information had no effects on participants' pro-environmental intentions and behavior. Taken together, the results strongly suggest that both researchers and practitioners should be taking the effect of contextualizing information into account when exhibiting environmental art, as it can impact a variety of relevant factors.

[Retracted] Pose Estimation under Visual Sensing Technology and Its Application in Art Design

“…With the improvement of people's living standards, people have higher and higher requirements for environmental quality. The concept and practice of environmental art have gradually risen and developed, becoming an extremely important scientific, cultural, and artistic achievement in China in recent years [25]. The environmental art design is to use artistic means to design human living space, coordinate the relationship between "people-building-environment," provide comfortable and beautiful space for human beings, and meet the needs of production and life in people's daily life [26].…”

Titles and Semantic Violations Affect Eye Movements When Viewing Contemporary Paintings

“…Finally, labels direct gaze to important parts of images, and their effect is stronger in the second phase of viewing, i.e., after the initial 2 s (Walker et al, 2017). This top-down guidance may be particularly important when images lack semantic cues (Davies et al, 2017) and it is connected with shorter fixation durations for artworks equipped with labels than artworks alone (Keller et al, 2020). Taken together, these results suggest that labels facilitate art perception by providing contextual cues on where and how to look at artworks.…”

Evaluation of Art Research for Sustainable Development

“…Curtis, Reid and Reeve developed a model from their research that identifies three pathways by which art can influence environmental behaviour: communicating information, creating empathy for the natural environment, and embedding the arts in ecologically sustainable development (Curtis et al, 2014). Keller et al add that emotional engagement includes place attachment and connection with the natural environment; making meaning helps to generate emotional engagement (Keller et al, 2020). According to Merrick, art can help overcome barriers to behavior change by creatively connecting viewers not just with the environment but also with each other and with new ways of seeing the issues.…”