The Addition of Emotion in The World of Art

The world of art is so much more than just paint and canvas. Yes, it started with paintings on walls and progressed to every possible arena of what could be conceived as art. Ever since the beginning of Modernism, at the beginning of the 20th century, every possible material and treatment has been used to inspire the viewer to engage with the artworks. Two new exhibitions, yet again highlight how this can still bring freshness to this mastery. Find out more in The Addition of Emotion in The World of Art.

Image on left L’invitation by Alexandre Benjamin Navet Galerie Derouillon photo © Gregory Copitet

Art has the power to do much more than simply show us beautiful images; it invites us into a world of new experiences. Art is not just a flat two-dimensional experience; artists can use tools to engage the audience with more than just paint and a paintbrush. Two new exhibitions highlight how artists can use lesser-known tools to evoke emotional responses to their works.

The new exhibition by Alexandre Benjamin Navet opened at Galerie Derouillon in Paris on January 8, 2025, here the artist plays with colour and 2D to 3D elements with large-scale paintings that draw the viewer into a somewhat personal scene.

L’invitation by Alexandre Benjamin Navet at Galerie Derouillon, Paris © Grégory Copitet

This dynamic aspect of the exhibition with the colours and the 2D 3D elements offers the viewer not merely an observation from the outside, but almost a beckoning to be part of the scene; You’re invited…The artwork comes to life and goes from two dimensional and becomes three dimensional.

The large canvases spread with colourful images of outside dining use interesting tools that aid the interaction between artist and viewer

Imagine a vibrant Mediterranean summer, the sun still warm on the table, a spread of food ready for friends. The colours, bright, rich, and inviting, instantly pull you into the scene. The objects in the exhibit include plates, glasses, chairs, and other details that usually fade into the background, here are at the forefront. These seemingly mundane and inanimate objects take centre stage in the invitation, becoming the silent stars of an evening’s gathering with friends. The images with their intimate yet informal approach give a sense as though the viewer is invited to this gathering of friends, the artist asks, sit down..join in.. eat…

L’invitation by Alexandre Benjamin Navet at Galerie Derouillon, Paris © Grégory Copitet

Thinking of a dinner party, we may feel and see not just the food but the conversation, the laughter, the connection between people and the music. It feels as if the artist here invites us to reflect on what happens before and after what he painted. The conversation, the quiet, often overlooked moments that hold equal weight at a familial gathering.

L’invitation by Alexandre Benjamin Navet Galerie Derouillon photo © Gregory Copitet

His painted relief wooden cutouts attached to a solid background add texture and depth to these ordinary objects, transforming them into characters in their own right. The resulting pieces give off a sense of movement as if each object could tell a story.

His work creates a moment. As you step into his exhibition, it feels as if you’re invited to a dinner party though not quite in the way you might expect.

In the eleven works on view are the empty chairs, half-filled wine glasses, and half-eaten plates each of these objects quietly invites us to imagine what’s happened and what’s yet to come. These are not just objects, they are part of a larger narrative of human connection, waiting for us to fill in the gaps. This emotive creation has been enabled by colours and techniques utilised by this particular artist but there are multiple ways of bringing the work of artists alive.

Marcus Joseph by Ginny Koppenhol

As much as colour and texture bring an added element to the experience of art music can do this too. It has a huge ability to emotively connect us to time, place and even our current view. Now think of the impact of how music may well work when viewing a piece of art. This concept of what is known as interactive soundscapes is another tool transforming how we experience the art world.

The ‘SoundEscape’ project is a collaboration between the art hub The Sainsbury Centre and Sound and Music. Ten of the UK’s leading composers were invited to create a new composition that captured the essence of a work of art in the Centre’s collection.

With artworks spanning 6000 years up to the present day, and including all mediums, the collection is one of the finest in the UK and a celebration of the power of human creativity.

“Music has the power to transform that silent canvas into an emotional landscape, elevating the visual experience into a multisensory masterpiece. Just as a film score breathes life into its scenes, music can set the tone for an unforgettable encounter with art. That is why we are so excited to be working with the wonderful Sound and Music organisation”

Director of the Sainsbury Centre, Jago Cooper

Composers, including Matthew Herbert and Ed Macfarlane, have crafted unique compositions that help bring the artworks to life, offering visitors a multisensory experience that enhances the emotional impact of the visual art.

Tamsin Elliot by Kate Wolstenholme

Tools like music again aim to deepen the connection between visitors and the artworks. Think of it as music aiding in ‘sculpting emotions’.

Both Alexandre Benjamin’s L’invitation and SoundEscapes show how artists use tools like colour, texture, and sound to evoke emotional responses. Benjamin’s manipulation of everyday objects and visual elements invites personal reflection, while SoundEscapes blends art with sound to create an immersive, emotional experience. These exhibitions demonstrate how artists are leveraging various media to turn passive viewing into active, emotionally charged engagement.

From January 8 to February 15, 2025, L’invitation will be on view at Galerie Derouillon.com, located at 13 rue de Turbigo, Paris.

The compositions which is available online now and will also be showcased in person at the Sainsbury Centre.as.uk allowing the public to experience music that brings the artwork to life.