Exposure to Histological Stains Makes Abstract Art More Appealing

Taste in Art—Exposure to Histological Stains Shapes Abstract Art Preferences. Antonia M. Böthig, Gregor U. Hayn-Leichsenring. i-Perception,  Volume: 8 issue: 5. https://doi.org/10.1177/2041669517736073

Abstract: Exposure to art increases the appreciation of artworks. Here, we showed that this effect is domain independent. After viewing images of histological stains in a lecture, ratings increased for restricted subsets of abstract art images. In contrast, a lecture on art history generally enhanced ratings for all art images presented, while a lecture on town history without any visual stimuli did not increase the ratings. Therefore, we found a domain-independent exposure effect of images of histological stains to particular abstract paintings. This finding suggests that the ‘taste’ for abstract art is altered by visual impressions that are presented outside of an artistic context.

My commentary: Now I know whey I like to many forms of art... I see every day lots of filth, blood, pillaging, images of battered people, and very unclean pandhandlers, all sort of stains. To compensate so much violence against persons and my senses, I enjoy order, from Raffaello or any nederlander meester to current architecture, or disordered but beautiful aesthetics, like natural environments* or current painters.

* The Nature-Disorder Paradox: A Perceptual Study on How Nature Is Disorderly Yet Aesthetically Preferred. By Hiroki Kotabe, Omid Kardan & Marc Berman. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, http://www.bipartisanalliance.com/2017/07/the-nature-disorder-paradox-perceptual.html