Art and the Brain, II

The first volume in this series addressed neurological and evolutionary theories of aesthetics. Some of the authors in this second volume extend the debate by seeking a basis for aesthetic appeal in mathematics and physics. Richard Taylor and his colleagues subjected Jackson Pollock's drip paintings to fractal analysis, and concluded that they are a direct expression of the generic imagery of nature's scenery. Taken with Chris McManus's discovery that the proportions in Mondrian's paintings reflect the 'golden section', this leads us to ask whether science can help predict what human subjects will find attractive, or whether such an approach undervalues the cultural elements in aesthetic appreciation? The book also includes explorations of the philosophical foundations of the aesthetic experience, and some further experimental studies.