Our project explored the
creative process in non-representational art and was a
collaboration between the artist Debbie Ayles
and the scientist Arnold Wilkins at the
The project concerned
the fact that certain contemporary art, particularly op art, is judged aversive
by some observers and can give rise to complaints of headache. The art that
“catches the eye” can end up “hitting the head”.
The use of eye-catching
design in advertisements on television has reached the stage where it has
become necessary for the broadcast control authorities (initially
These guidelines are
limited to televised material and consider only seizures, not headache. We have
developed a simple index that can indicate how aversive an image is likely to
be in the hope of extending the guidelines to aversive reactions other than
seizures and to visual stimuli other than video material.
Many artists use
migraine as inspiration (see the collection and analysis by Dr. Klaus Podoll
) and the artist Debbie Ayles is one of them.
Sometimes observers have reported that they find her paintings aversive and
that looking at them gives them a headache.
Some of Debbie Ayles' paintings contain
aspects of spatial periodicity and colour contrast, which, in geometric
patterns, would induce visual stress.
The spatial parameters of stimuli that induce visual
stress have been described in detail but hitherto only with respect to
geometric patterns. The project has demonstrated that similar considerations
apply to more complex images.
The project is now
completed, and has resulted in an exhibition “Striking
the eye” held at the University of Essex Gallery
from 15-22 July 2006.
The exhibition includes
a scientific
poster describing the findings.
The Migraine Action Association has
supported the project which was funded by a Sciart Research and Development Award from the Wellcome Trust.