Three Forms of Tears at Art Museums: A Phenomenological Study of Viewers' Tear-Shedding Experiences Through Blog Narratives. (July 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kim, Dooiee
• Is Part Of: Empirical studies of the arts. Volume 41:Number 2(2023)
• Page Start: 411
• Page End: 432
• Publication Date: 2023-07
• Subjects: tears -- aesthetic feeling -- visual art -- bidirectional empathy -- immersion -- positive crying‌; Arts -- Periodicals; 700.5
• DOI: 10.1177/02762374221143718
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0276-2374

Abstract

This study proposed that viewers' experiential accounts of shedding tears in art museums in their blog narratives can help understand the distinctive characteristics of the tear-shedding experience in visual arts. This study systematically examined 34 accounts of shedding tears from blog narratives following a phenomenological approach. It identified recurrent themes ( constituents ) and clustered them into three groups according to theme profile similarities. During the moment of tears from sudden overwhelming stimulation ( Cluster II ), an apparent bidirectional empathic process emerged when viewers shed tears during visual art appreciation. Viewers could empathize with the world depicted in the artwork ( Cluster III ) and felt understood when they encountered their innermost selves through it ( Cluster I ). The study's findings offer a compelling basis for empirically identifying the meaning of the tear-shedding experience from visual arts in the fine art domain while integrating previous studies.