TABOO - TRANSGRESSION - TRANSCENDENCE

How can spatial anxiety, which manifests as feelings of uncertainty and fear when navigating environments, have a negative impact on art appreciation, especially in installation art, where feelings of uncertainty and discomfort often arise when visitors interact with spaces that include challenging and unpredictable materials? The installation art, titled “Reflections on the Mirror,” served as a case study for analyzing participants’ spatial anxiety in conjunction with art appreciation. In this context, we examined participants’ sensory and spatial perception, aiming to explore how these elements influenced their emotional responses related to spatial perception, thus contributing to the manifestation of spatial anxiety and its relationship to art appreciation. Reflecting the interconnectedness of sensory experiences, where external interactions can enhance internal awareness and vice versa, we applied a dual analysis framework: (a) Body-related Perceptual Modalities, which include processes related to internal bodily sensations and awareness, and (b) Environment-related Perceptual Modalities, which concern the perception of external environmental stimuli. Participants expressed a wide range of emotions, with notable references to the categories “Enjoyment and Appreciation” (40.45%) and “Fear and Anxiety” (37.08%), highlighting the contradictory nature of their experiences. Therefore, our findings show that while spatial anxiety was largely elicited, leading to transient feelings of uncertainty and discomfort in visitors, it did not diminish their enjoyment and art appreciation. This suggests that the emotional complexity elicited by such immersive experiences can coexist with positive feelings of enjoyment and appreciation.