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Arts & Communication Cognition and cultural mediation

Planning the presentation of artworks in the physical with the artworks, the museums, the artists, and the
exhibition space can be viewed as an instrument of cultural institution, all of which are considered actors in
mediation. It allows for the expansion of the dialog and this scenario. Furthermore, cultural mediation can be
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participation of the public with the artworks, providing understood not only as the transmission of knowledge but
various ways of viewing the artworks and enabling different also as a method that enables the establishment of exchange
types of interpretations. 3 relationships between the audience and the works of art.
Texts and words are always present in exhibitions, either The aim of cultural mediation is therefore to focus on the
referring to the artist, contextualizing the artwork, or even individual perception of the artistic object. 7
in the title of the work proposed by the author. Texts and Cultural mediation can contribute to viewers’
references provided in an exhibition can induce the public experiences, by stimulating their curiosity to explore
perception and interpretation of the artwork. From the the artworks and seek convergences between the art
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concept of semantic priming, it is possible to understand in exhibitions, its concepts, and its materiality. The
the impact of the textual presentation on the interpretation construction of visitors’ knowledge in museum spaces takes
of an artwork. The introductory semantic stimulus place in two different ways, which are characterized by the
can affect the responses of an individual, without this institutions: (1) The creation of a favorable environment
individual being aware of this effect. Semantic priming for learning, with the help of texts, audio guides, subtitles,
can be understood as a process that occurs when people etc., and (2) the path facilitated by educators through
react to a concept previously related to an image or word. mediations, in which visitors are exposed to different ways
In mediation, this concept emerges in the information of both learning and attributing meaning to the artwork. 8
presented to the public through arts/educators and to The process of making meaning of the artwork is not
communicate the possible meanings of artwork.
about discovering or agreeing with the artist’s intentions.
This study aimed to verify the effect of semantic Creating meaning is about decoding intrinsic and extrinsic
priming on artwork interpretation, considering the symbols in artworks. These symbols have semantic,
figurative elements observed. It also sought to find syntactic, and esthetic properties. Promoting tools that
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associations between audience relations and cultural facilitate and provide these constructs of decoding and
mediation in visual art exhibitions. The extent to which meaning making is key to creating deeper and more
semantic priming can influence the perception of artwork meaningful visitor experiences of artworks. 10
is discussed in this paper, which also offers insights into
how this influence can be applied in the field of mediation There are many ways to conduct cultural mediation that
in visual art. In this study, we also attempted to clarify coincides with the different ways of receiving and greeting
whether a viewer’s artwork interpretation can be affected the audience, exploring, and observing the concepts of the
artworks. The type of mediation can vary depending on the
by the type of information available so as to expand the
applications of mediation beyond information, innovating type of audience. To create this dialog, the participation
new ways of exploring an artwork. of the visitors is fundamental. The dialog between art
and education enables communication between different
2. Background cultures. Through cultural mediation, this dialog promotes
the approximation between the culture of the artist, the
2.1. Cultural mediation schools, and the culture of all people. 11
Cultural mediation in visual art exhibitions is the creation Communication in cultural mediation is fundamental,
of a dialogical relationship between the artwork and the and the mediator can raise questions that stimulate the
audience. Mediation creates connections both in relation viewer to make discoveries. According to De Backer et al.,
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to the cultural context of the artwork and the cultural the emergence of contemporary art and the dissolution of
context of the audience. In this sense, cultural mediation predefined meanings in art have set a precedent regarding
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is a way of encouraging the viewer to look for other forms the visitor and the interpretation of works of art. This
of interpretation. It provokes exploratory thinking that implies that meaning is important, but how the visitor
attempts to analyze a work of art and all the experiences it can arrives at it is also crucial. The mediator should therefore
evoke. Various things can develop from these experiences, not present concepts that simplify the works, but rather
such as feelings, reflections, and interpretations that enable look for ways to stimulate the viewer to make discoveries
the viewer to read the artwork in different ways. through the sensations that the artwork can evoke. In this

Cultural mediation can be understood as pluralistic so way, the eye is sharpened for the subtleties that can be
that the perception of the mediator establishes relationships discovered in art.

Volume 2 Issue 3 (2024) 2 doi: 10.36922/ac.2105