Say you visit a highly anticipated exhibition one Saturday afternoon and find yourself in a crowded gallery, shoulder-to-shoulder with a pack of rabid art goers. As you stealthily maneuver toward your viewing target, an over-stimulated (or, depending on the show, perhaps under-stimulated) child begins to melt down. You suddenly overhear an unreasonably heated conversation about brunch plans. Your heartbeat quickens, and soon, art gallery panic sets in. How do you return to the piece in front of you while also reclaiming your peace of mind?
A collaborative film by animator Gaia Alari and therapist Emily Price visualizes how art can help us get in tune with our senses and emotions. Paired with Alari’s dynamic drawings, Price guides viewers through an exercise designed to focus our attention even in the most anxious or gloomy of situations. Put your hands on your heart and stomach, she suggests, or imagine yourself protected in a cloche or invisibility cape, allowing yourself to feel calm and safe.
“How does your body react to art?” is produced by MoMA, which also released a long-form interview with Price that dives into the psychology of a museum visit. For more from Alari, visit Vimeo.
You also might enjoy a similarly meditative project by Bryana Bibbs, which invites viewers to contribute to a collective weaving as a response to an exhibition about mental health and wellness.
