Weingarden Presents at Art & Science Conference in Vienna

In February, Professor Lauren Weingarden presented a paper, “Beyond Stasis and Beauty in Neuroaesthetics: Installation Art and Experiential Neuroaesthetics,” at the Art & Science: Conference on Emperical Studies in Art History and Visual Studies, held at Institut für Kunstgeschichte, University of Vienna. At this conference scholars addressed the process of aesthetic perception and reception and employed new methods stemming from Psychology and Neurology and the Social and Computational Sciences. These new approaches provided a platform to discuss a broad set of art (historical) questions beyond the limits of classical methodologies, including empirical research, theoretical considerations on methodology and art production that incorporates empirical methods. In her paper, Prof. Weingarden focused on Inhotim’s (Brazil) collection of Installation art displayed in botanical gardens to propose what she calls an “experiential neuroaesthetics.” She argues that such a theoretical model registers visitors’ emotive, psychic and physiological responses and provides an expanded database for future empirical research.