IMPREGNATION documents an exploratory investigation conducted using several of the 7 Seals and other works by Mya Lurgo, observing their potential perceptual, emotional and psychophysical effects on the participants.
The experiment, carried out in 2023 with Daniele Gullà*, marks a further stage in Mya Lurgo’s research into the immaterial and spiritual dimension of the artwork, understood not merely as a visual object but as a relational field potentially capable of affecting the quality of perception and presence.
The bilingual video IMPREGNATION documents the experiment conducted using the HYGENIA Device. Measurements were taken from eight participants under three conditions: in the absence of the artworks, during their direct observation and, approximately one hour later, through mental recollection of the images alone.
According to the experimental report, variations in frequency parameters were recorded in all participants during direct observation. The phase based solely on mental imagery produced less consistent results, although changes in psycho-emotional state were recorded in six of the eight participants.
Given the limited number of participants, the absence of a control group and the exploratory nature of the device, these results do not constitute generalisable scientific evidence. They nevertheless raise the central question of this research:
_ To what extent can an artwork continue to act after it has disappeared from view, through memory, imagination and inner resonance?
The experiment is not considered complete. Mya Lurgo wishes to connect with artists, researchers and professionals interested in extending the investigation by applying the protocol to other artworks, artistic languages and groups of observers. The aim is to develop a shared research project through which experiences and measurements can be compared, the method refined and the reproducibility of the observed responses assessed.
Creating aesth-ethical works — capable of bringing aesthetic value and ethical responsibility into relation — is one of the fundamental strands of Mya Lurgo’s research. The artwork is regarded not merely as a visual, symbolic or economic object, but as a field of encounter potentially capable of affecting the quality of presence.
Reference to studies on aphantasia — a condition characterised by the absence or reduced ability to generate voluntary mental imagery — introduces a further perspective: not all observers possess the same capacity to reconstruct an image internally or to recall its potential perceptual, emotional or bodily responses.
Artists and researchers interested in participating or proposing a collaboration are invited to write to: info@myalurgo.art
*Daniele Gullà is a consultant and specialist in biopsychocybernetics, forensic biometrics, UV and IR multispectral photography and thermography. His work includes applications of spectroscopy in environmental, medical and psychophysiological contexts, as well as collaborations with programmes broadcast by Rai and Mediaset.
