Attention in the art since the 1960’s: an exploration of ways in which artists have tried to get the attention of their audience

Art historical research shows that artists, especially since the 1960s
rise in museum and art gallery attendance do not always trust the
audience’s ability to deal with their art. The choice for a performative
aesthetic, for example, has also been a method for reasserting rather than—as is often thought—relinquishing artistic control. The article looks at aesthetic strategies developed by artists who desire(d)
a more attentive look from their audiences. It considers works made
by artists in the sixties and seventies. It is a fact that the appearance
of mass audiences goes hand in hand with the creation of artworks
that have “attention” as their subject. Secondly, the article takes a
look at more contemporary work. Faced with spectators that spend
about 28 seconds looking at artworks and reading the accompanying labels, artists are developing strategies that slow spectators
down, thus hoping to channel and hold their attention.