“Examining art can inspire a rich variety of thoughts and emotions. Now, a new initiative will allow art lovers to see their brains’ response to the familiar beauty of a van Gogh or the mystery of an abstract work.
During a pilot of the project this month at London’s Courtauld Gallery, visitors donned a headset connected to an electroencephalogram (EEG) monitor. Then, a real-time visualization of their brainwave data appeared on screens, allowing them to see what the art sparked inside their minds.
Art Fund, a United Kingdom-based charity, commissioned the project as part of its efforts to encourage the public to visit museums. The group’s research has found that while 95 percent of U.K. adults agree visiting museums and galleries is beneficial, 40 percent visit less than once a year, according to a statement from the organization. The new headsets will be available at select museums in the U.K. next year.”
Read the full article at Smithsonian Magazine