Cultural heritage: Project to measure appreciation and usability of artworks gets underway

The “Share Art” pilot project, which measures visitors' appreciation of art objects, has started in Basilicata as part of the Basilicata Heritage Smart Lab. Co-funded by the Region, it includes ENEA, Cnr - Institute of Science of Cultural Heritage (leader), University of Basilicata and the regional cluster Basilicata Creativa, which comprises around 40 Lucanian companies in the cultural and creative sector.

The Provincial Art Gallery of Potenza was identified as the pilot site for the experimentation, where the project was developed by ENEA in collaboration with the Culture Center of the Province of Potenza and the support of Diótima, one of the Basilicata Creativa companies.

“Smart Lab has as its first objective to evaluate visitors' interest in the works exhibited in the Art Gallery, through an approach that analyses a set of data, by using a QR Code to be framed to get a deeper understandig of the artwork associated, making the visitor an active part of the study", explained the project's scientific coordinator Carolina Innella, ENEA researcher in the Support Section to the Coordination of Circular Economy Activities.

The project also involves monitoring the interaction between visitors and exhibition spaces using sensors measuring indoor and outdoor temperature and humidity to preserve the works of art and optimize the comfort of visitors.

 “The presence of people and their permanence within an environment causes a variation of these parameters and providing a comfortable environment is important to attract visitors, making the visit an invitation to slow down and relax, prolonging the duration of stay in exhibition spaces", concluded Innella.

The data collected will provide useful indications on how to improve the display of the works.