'The Art Of Mind' - An Artistic Reflection Framework

Episode 7 – The OPEN Phase: Art, Memory, and the Power of First Impressions

Art is a gateway to memory, an invitation to experience, and a trigger for emotional recall. Whether it's the first time a brush touches canvas, the moment a museum visitor steps into an exhibition, or the instant a collector sees a work that moves them—these initial triggers define perception, shape artistic choices, and influence engagement.

At the core of human cognition lies the OPEN phase, the moment when a new experience enters the brain and imprints itself into memory. This phase is vital in art: it determines what audiences remember, what resonates, and what inspires artistic evolution.

Understanding how the brain registers and recalls creative stimuli can transform the way painters, galleries, and museums present, engage, and create.

First Impressions: The Art of the Initial Trigger

What do you remember about your earliest encounters with art? A painting in your childhood home? The first time you mixed colors and saw a new shade emerge? The overwhelming scale of a museum's masterpiece?

Memory is selective, shaped by the intensity of first experiences. In psychology, the first few seconds of exposure dictate engagement—whether in advertising, storytelling, or art appreciation. Studies show that in job interviews, commercials, and performances, the opening moments determine emotional response and long-term recall.

💡 The Power of First Impressions in Art:

• The first two minutes of an exhibition shape a visitor's entire experience.
• The first 15 seconds of viewing a painting determine emotional connection.
• The opening moments of a creative process dictate artistic direction.

Artists, curators, and gallery owners must ask: How do we design moments that stick? What visual, spatial, and conceptual choices maximize the OPEN phase for audiences?

🎨 Exercise: Reflect on an artwork that left a lasting impact on you. What made it unforgettable? Was it composition, scale, color, or emotional intensity?

The RE-TRIGGER: Memory, Repetition, and Reinforcement

Memory isn't just formed once—it strengthens through repetition and reinforcement. Art that lingers in the subconscious is seen, recalled, and re-engaged multiple times.

Museums and galleries capitalize on this effect through iconic visual branding, such as recognizable logos or repeated thematic elements within exhibitions. Just as certain brand logos trigger instant emotional recognition, artistic motifs can do the same.

🔹 How Art Uses Re-Triggers:

• Recurring artistic themes strengthen audience memory.
• Consistent curatorial styles establish recognizable identities.
• Interactive exhibition elements increase retention through participation.

Understanding the brain's filtering mechanisms also helps artists and cultural leaders refine presentation. Without filtering, the mind would be overwhelmed with endless stimuli, unable to differentiate meaningful experiences from distractions. The brain categorizes and prioritizes sensory inputs, making stronger emotional triggers more memorable than passive experiences.

💡 This is why we remember bold, disruptive, and emotionally charged works far more than passive or neutral ones.

Automatism: Built-in Responses in Art

Some reactions happen instinctively, without conscious thought. In the animal world, fixed action patterns dictate behavior—a mother turkey responds protectively to the "cheep-cheep" of her chicks, even if it comes from a stuffed predator. Humans also have automatic artistic responses, shaped by cultural conditioning, aesthetic preference, and emotional bias.

Why do certain colors evoke immediate reactions? 
Why does scale influence perception of power and presence?
Why do some compositions feel instinctively "right" or "wrong"?

Our subconscious reactions are deeply tied to biological, psychological, and cultural coding. Artists and curators can use this understanding to create art that evokes automatic emotional engagement.

Applying the OPEN Phase to Artistic Practice

The OPEN phase isn't just about memory formation—it's about creating artistic moments that matter. Whether designing a painting, an exhibition, or a visual brand, understanding how audiences store and recall creative experiences is critical.

Key Characteristics of the OPEN Phase in Art:

• Emotionally Charged Experiences – Only strong signals embed themselves into memory.
• Re-Triggering as a Tool – Reinforcement through repetition enhances artistic recall.
• Instinctive, Built-In Artistic Responses – People react subconsciously to visual cues.

This cycle—TRIGGER, RE-TRIGGER, MEMORY FORMATION—shapes the relationship between audience and artwork, ensuring that certain pieces remain timeless and influential.

As artists and cultural leaders, the challenge is this: How do we create unforgettable artistic moments that anchor themselves into the subconscious?

Where does your art fit into this cycle? That, dear reader, is yours to explore.

*** Your thoughts and reactions are come on Instagram***

Reference art work for this blogpost: Claude Monet's "Impression, Sunrise", it captures the fleeting nature of first impressions in art.

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'The Art Of Mind' - An Artistic Reflection Framework

Coming up next: Episode 8 – The Change Phase (Part 1) (expected 06/06/2025)

Check out my previous blogs:
Episode 1 & 2 – Introduction & Concept
Episode 2 to 5 – The Three Brains
Episode 6 – The OC² Process

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