The physical and mental benefits of art

By Lindsey Turnbull

If you have ever stepped inside the National Gallery, the National Museum or any number of great art galleries in Cayman (or anywhere else in the world) and felt a sense of peace and well-being, you may have experienced a physical reaction in your body that has helped to create that feeling.

A recent study released by the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King’s College London has revealed evidence that viewing art in galleries appears to have an immediate positive impact on the body. Stress levels reduce and inflammation indicators in the body drop when an individual views art in a gallery environment, the study found. Interestingly, the same benefits are not necessarily found within a non-gallery environment where the art is reproduced rather than an original.

King’s IoPPN undertook the research on behalf of the UK’s Art Fund and Psychiatry Research Trust. It studied the physiological responses of participants while viewing masterpieces by world-renowned artists including Manet, Van Gogh and Gauguin in a gallery.

The 50 participants, who were volunteers aged 18-40, viewed either original artworks at The Courtauld Gallery in London or reproductions of the same paintings in a similar but non-gallery environment. They were monitored for heart rate variability and skin temperature using specialist equipment to track levels of interest and arousal. The results revealed cortisol levels (the key stress hormone) falling by an average of 22% in the gallery group, compared to just eight per cent for the reproduction group. Those viewing original art also had more dynamic heart activity - indicating that art engages the body through both emotional arousal and stress regulation.

Pro-inflammatory cytokines (linked to stress and chronic diseases) dropped by 30 per cent and 28 per cent respectively for those viewing original art, with no change observed in the reproduction group, suggesting art has a potential calming effect on the body’s inflammatory responses.

Stress hormones and inflammatory markers are linked to a wide range of health problems, from heart disease and diabetes to anxiety and depression. The fact that viewing original art lowered these markers suggested that cultural experiences may play a real role in protecting both mind and body.

Dr Tony Woods, the study’s senior author from King’s IoPPN said: “Our unique and original study provides compelling evidence that viewing art in a gallery is ‘good for you’ and helps to further our understanding of its fundamental benefits. In essence, art doesn’t just move us emotionally — it calms the body too.”

Art benefits people in Cayman

Maia Muttoo, Head of Programmes at the National Gallery of the Cayman Islands, said at the National Gallery, they had witnessed first-hand the positive wellness benefits of engagement with the arts.

“Through our year-round Education programmes, we collaborate with community organisations including the Alex Panton Foundation, Family Resource Centre, the Cayman Islands Crisis Centre, and the Department of Children & Family Services to offer art interventions and opportunities for individuals who are navigating a vulnerable stage of life. Through art, whether viewing it or making it, participants can take a quiet moment to reflect, self-assess, express deep emotions non-verbally, learn new skills, and simply be in a safe space of calm,” she confirmed.

The National Gallery also operates an extensive outreach programming, which includes long-running programmes at HMP Northward, Fairbanks and Caribbean Haven for persons in recovery and rehabilitation.