In the eye of the beholder: The perception of indeterminate art

How do we interpret an object, a scene, or a painting? Perception research and art illuminate from different views how the vast amount of information in our visually perceived environment is processed by the viewer to form a coherent and consistent interpretation of the world. Using paintings by the artist Robert Pepperell, this paper outlines scientific research through which we attempt to connect these different world views.

Pepperell's paintings may at first glance appear as baroque frescoes, expressionist still-lifes, or cubist collages. Taking a closer look, however, these concrete interpretations vanish and we are left with indeterminate images. Using psychophysical experiments and eye tracking measures, in this work we sought to illuminate the visual processing of information in Pepperell's paintings. More specifically, we investigated how the pattern of eye fixations -
loci of interest- change as a function of the task (e.g. 'What is depicted in this scene?' vs. 'Does this image contain people?') and of the image content.

The interpretation of the experimental results in the context of perceptual research offers insights into the perception of indeterminate art. At the same time, the results may contribute to the development of the artist’s project, as they provide some measurable validation of his intentions.