Perceptual and physiological responses to Jackson Pollock’s fractals

Abstract

Fractals have been very successful in quantifying the visual complexity exhibited by many natural patterns, and have captured the imagination of scientists and artists alike. Our research has shown that the poured patterns of the American abstract painter Jackson Pollock are also fractal. This discovery raises an intriguing possibility – are the visual characteristics of fractals responsible for the long-term appeal of Pollock’s work? To address this question, we have conducted ten years of scientific investigation of human response to fractals and here we present, for the first time, a review of this research that examines the inter-relationship between the various results. The investigations include eye-tracking, visual preference, skin conductance, and EEG measurement techniques. We discuss the artistic implications of the positive perceptual and physiological responses to fractal patterns

Keywords

aesthetics; EEG; eye-tracking; fMRI; fractals; visual preference

Published in

Frontiers in Human Neuroscience
2011, Volume: 5, article number: 60

SLU Authors

• Hägerhäll, Caroline

  • Department of People and Society, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

UKÄ Subject classification

Landscape Architecture


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2011.00060

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/34272