This article showcases the impact art has on viewers. Art is interpretational allowing viewers to form their own opinions. During this process viewers are more likely to take interest because they are not being forced to learn, instead they are educating themselves. Professor John Robinson also states the importance of giving people the freedom to interpret on their own, “Around 90% of the visitors changed their cultural perceptions of animals and spontaneously made statements about the need for more sustainable lifestyles that can help conserve these animals. This happened without a single word being uttered or printed about conservation or sustainability. Viewers were subjected to an emotional experience, allowed to internalize it for themselves and see where that took them”. Usually people are taught through structured lectures and facts, this leads to emotional detachment. People are less inclined to care if they are bombarded with facts, but through art they form emotional attachments. This leads us to question our approach when spreading awareness on sustainability. Scientists should take a step back from lecturing (with data) to explore other avenues of spreading awareness.
