I have an electromagnetic field meter and there’s a show of abstract art on in town. I’m going looking for the aura of art.
The thinking behind this is simple. Ghosts cannot be recorded by conventional means but paranormal researchers report that hauntings are often accompanied by anomalous electromagnetic field fluctuations. Like ghosts, the aura of art is intangible So if artworks have an aesthetic aura we would expect to see this manifesting in similar electromagnetic phenomena to ghosts. Additionally we would expect the phenomena to be stronger for more aesthetic works and weaker for less aesthetic works.
By grading works aesthetically, recording any change in electromagnetic field strength around them, and then correlating the results we can gather proof for the aura of art. This can then be compared against data collected on works that claim to be non-auratic such as dadaist and conceptual art.
The danger in gathering such data is that it could be used to create a damping field for the aura of art, or even perhaps a “Ghostbusters”-style trap or containment system for the aura. I’m certainly not proposing firing high-energy particle beams at artworks. Unless they’re by Tracey Emin or Gavin Turk.
This project is brought to you by SPAR (the Society for Paranormal Aesthetic Research).
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