Understanding Perception and Reception

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Perception and reception is a branch of a psychoanalytic theory. With perception and reception in art the focus shifted from the artist to the viewer. Also brought into attention is that the idea of reception in art history is not entirely new and that this concept, which is based on the viewer, was the norm during the 15th century in which art was seen from the viewer point of viewer not the artist. In the early 20th we had the reception align with psychoanalytic theory.

Rudolph Arnheim was an author and art historian was trained as a psychologist who primary focus was on the sensory perception. His intention was to challenged the predominantly idea in culture in which the verbally thought idea is superior and that somehow the artistic thoughts that are based on the eye of perception is not. Vision and thinking are the same process. Is important to acknowledge that perceiving should be as important as reception (thinking) because intelligentsia is not enough is there is not vision. In Visual Thinking Arheim wrote, “the symmetrical location of the two functions in the halves of the brain has come to symbolize the fact that these functions are equal dignity and therefore should receive equal dignity and therefore should receive equal consideration, especially in education. He position both perception and thinking as equal where neither holds any superiority against the other by adding, “Everything we are learning about the mental functioning of scientists and artists strengthens the conviction that the intimate interaction between intuitive and intellectual functioning accounts for the best results in the both fields.” Another aspect that we need to take into consideration is the effect of both perception and reception thr...

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...torian Norman Bryson he present us how the way we perceive art could be affected by is environment. In his article titled The Viewer Speaks he said, “Talking to Pictures” showed that, the alleged birth of the viewer notwithstanding, it is still museum that has the last word in deciding the ways ordinary viewers are expected voluntary to repress what may be their truest and deepest responses to art.” A museum could hinder the relationship between the viewer and the image.

In conclusion perception and reception are two functions of equal of importance in our experience of viewing the image, but also the focus is no longer in the artist instead is in the viewer. Art is a record of perception shape by our previous representation. And the power of the art is expected to be between the viewer and the image, but such experience can still altered and manipulated.

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