DISCLAIMER: First and foremost, I wish to tell you that I am no psychologist. Nor am I even remotely connected to psychology in any way whatsoever. I am writing this article on this seemingly massive topic, purely on the basis of what I have seen, heard, read, and felt in my life till date. Therefore, all views expressed, in this article are strictly personal and are entirely based on my personal understanding of this subject over the years.
Art exists all around us in many beautiful forms, shapes and sizes. But have we ever given thought to the psychology of art? I guess not. In this article, we will try and view art from a different perspective; from the perspective of psychology.
Art. What exactly is art? Is it somebody sitting atop a hillock at sunset, painting a pretty picture? Yes, it is. Is it a group of teenage nimble-footed ballet dancers, displaying their wonderful dancing skills on the dance floor? Yes, it is. Is it an old, frail ninety-year-old man playing a musical instrument outside the door of a roadside cafe? Yes, it most certainly is. Art is all of the above and much, much more. If I were to attempt to define art, I would say that any and every product or work of creativity, that is either made by man, animal, nature or the universe happens to be a work of art. Therefore, a grown up man learning how to skate is an art, a young boy teaching his dog a few new tricks is an art, a music teacher teaching his student to sing is an art. But my focus is not on what all constitutes or comprises art. It is on what is the psychology of art. Therefore, allow me to put forth my views on the psychology of art.
Understanding the Psychology of Art
Technically, psychology is defined as "the science of mental life". So, how do you apply this science to art and what do you understand upon doing so? Well, from all that I have seen, heard and learnt during the course of my life, I have come to understand that art is nothing but a form of expression. For some, it is an expression of their soul and their inner state of mind. For some, it is a way of venting out their feelings and emotions. For some, it is a way of separating oneself from all worldly attachments and becoming one with the spirit of the universe. Art is something that is unique, simply because of the innumerable ways of both its creation, as well as perception.
Creation of Art
Many experts believe (and I personally vouch for this) that there is often a trigger or a certain stimulus that is associated with the creation of any great work of art. That particular trigger could be absolutely anything - an inner emotion, the happening of an external incident, sudden internal awakening, emotional turmoil or even deep anger. Many a time, by observing a work of art, one can get an idea of what could have triggered, stimulated, or inspired the creator to come up with what he or she did. It is simply amazing, how often a true work of art acts as a mirror that reflects the creator's state of mind or being, at the time of creation. To know what I'm talking about, try the following exercise.
The next time you visit an art gallery, try to analyze the paintings and the artifacts from an altogether different perspective. Don't just stand in front of a painting; admire it for ten seconds and then move on to the next one in line. Stand there. Get into the painting. Yes, INTO the painting. Think about what that painting symbolizes, what subject it deals with, what message it gives out. Get an insight into the mind of the artist, try and imagine the creative thinking process that the artist must have gone through while painting it. It is his imagination that helped him in painting this piece of art. Try to get into his mind, think of what must have inspired or stimulated him to paint what he did, to use the patterns and symbols that he did and to use the color combinations that he did. There is a plethora of knowledge and trivia that is hidden behind that piece of canvas. It is like a treasure to be discovered and you will be amazed, when you actually discover it. In much the same way, you can get into the psychology of art by listening to a piece of music. Select any song or piece of music of your choice. Now listen to it in a totally different way. Put yourself in the shoes of the composer. Think about why a particular musical notes has been used in the place that it has been used. What if some other note was used in its place? How would it impact the song or that piece of music? There is always a reason, why the composer has used a particular set of musical notes or chord progressions. Trying to understand that is like trying to unravel a secret. Getting into the soul of the song will help you to unravel the secret.
Perception of Art
Studying how people perceive a work of art is also an important aspect to consider when studying the psychology of art. Different people perceive art in different ways. The way a man perceives or interprets a work of art speaks volumes about his mood, his state of mind, his emotional and mental balance, and about him as a person. To understand what I am saying, try this out. The next time you visit a museum or an art exhibition, try and observe what people think of a particular painting or artifact. Pay careful attention to each and every person's interpretation of that work of art. Some may find it positive, others may find it negative. Some may be very appreciative of a certain artistic detail, whereas some may find the piece of art to be offensive. It all depends on the person's mind and state of being. A coin has two sides, but the number of 'sides' (read possibilities) that are present in the human mind are limitless. Therefore, you will often see that ten different people, when shown one single painting, will always have ten completely different interpretations, views and understandings of that one single painting. This is a real-life example of the psychology of art.
This is by no means an exhaustive article on the subject of psychology of art. If you look at it from the point of view of a professional psychologist, you will, no doubt, be able to associate the concept of art with a number of theories, laws and disciplines related to the different fields of psychology. Sounds interesting, doesn't it?
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