This study investigated the role of expertise and personality in reactions to challenges in contemporary paintings, here operationalized as violations in syntax and semantics. Thirty-eight expert and 56 naïve art viewers appraised 20 paintings (divided into four groups, i.e. no violation, only syntactic or semantic violation, and both…

This article addresses how older people understand and engage with contemporary art in the gallery context--whether there is something unique to the art, the format of the visits, the pedagogical approaches used by gallery educators, the social contact, or a combination of all these factors. It also addresses the psychosocial barriers to…