Art has a deep and powerful impact on people. What artists and art historians have known for a long time is now proved by numerous scientific studies in the fields of psychology and neuroscience. Thanks to the technical advances of our time, we can literally see how art affects our brains. The healing effect of art is universally recognized. More and more hospitals around the world are including art exhibitions or installations in their spaces, and doctors even prescribe museum visits for some patients. So how does art affect us?
Studies on the impact of art on our lives are conducted in different countries. Since 1999, there has even been a separate branch of scientific knowledge that explores our relationship with art from the point of view of science – neuroaesthetics. One study conducted in the UK included 23,000 participants and found that those who engaged in art at least once a week, such as attending art school classes or participating in cultural events at least once or twice a year, were happier and had better mental health than those who did not. These results were independent of age, marital status, income, habits, or anything else.
Another Japanese study showed that people who had once been involved in artistic activities, such as various crafts or painting, were less likely to have any cognitive impairment later on than those who were not involved in art.
Most studies have been conducted on the effect of music on the human body. Playing musical instruments, singing, or listening to music has been shown to reduce stress, pain, and even strengthen the immune system. Singing, for example, helps women overcome postpartum depression faster, and listening to music relieves migraine symptoms.
But not only music has healing properties. Drawing, painting, even coloring reduces heart rate and generally improves heart function and reduces anxiety, and the rhythms of brain activity during clay modeling correspond to a state of relaxation and meditation.
Artists tend to suffer less from feelings of loneliness and depression (contrary to the common perception of the artist as a nervous and perpetually dissatisfied creature). They are also usually more observant and have better memories, which is explained by the fact that artistic pursuits stimulate the formation of new neural connections and generally have a positive effect on brain activity.
Even the simple contemplation of works of art has a significant impact on our body. And this is not surprising. There are 11 million receptors in the human body, and about 10 million of them are responsible for vision. Some scientists believe that half of our brain’s resources are used for seeing. An experiment by Professor Semir Zeki at University College London measured the brain activity of people who were shown 30 of the most famous artworks. It turned out that contemplation of the works that a person considers the most beautiful increases blood flow to the areas of the brain responsible for pleasure by 10%, just like when we look at a loved one. If you’re wondering which works evoked the strongest “pleasure” response, they were paintings by Constable, Engra and Monet.
Studies also show that by looking at works of art we can experience the same strong emotions as the artists who created them. A work of art stimulates the same receptors in our brains that were activated in the artist’s brain when he created it, and thus awakens a sense of inspiration. When you engage in art, any kind of art, or perceive a work of art (music, poetry, painting, film, etc.), processes occur in the brain that release emotions and can evoke strong feelings, make you feel more connected to other people, and more aware of your own self. And, in fact, we have known all this about the arts since ancient times. Aristotle called this state caused by the experience of art catharsis. Now we have a scientific explanation for it.
In short, doing art makes us happier and healthier, and there is scientific evidence for this. So, in order to improve our own well-being, we simply need to incorporate art into our daily lives. Simply listening to music or reading poetry will have a wonderful effect. Add contemplation of works of art in museums, attending art events or lectures on art history, where you will not only see beautiful, perhaps previously unfamiliar works, but also learn to look at them differently, more deeply. But the best way is to create something with your own hands, such as painting or clay modeling.
