How People’s Appreciation of Installation Art Is Affected by the Environment and their Information about the Artworks

This study attempted to explore the impact of the interactive environment and related artistic background information on participants' appreciation of installation art. In general, research tends to emphasize the effects of interactive technology than investigate the impact of interaction patterns from the perspective of individual perception and the environmental context. This paper conducted a questionnaire survey among attendees of a specific installation art exhibition, followed by a self-assessment method to examine the influence of art information and the interactive environment on aesthetic emotions and judgments. This research categorized the audience into two parts: virtual environment and physical environment, and further divided them into six groups based on their level of information: those unaware of relevant information, those who only knew the artwork title, and those who knew both the title and related descriptions. Our study demonstrated that the interactive environment and environmental information play a significant role in the audience's understanding and appreciation of installation artworks. The interactive environment evokes aesthetic emotions in the audience, with emotions being more positive and intense in the virtual environment. Compared to physical and tactile interactions, virtual interactive environments make the interaction more immersive, making it easier for the audience to comprehend the intent of the artwork and thus better appreciate the art pieces.