Summary

This research paper delves into the concept of semantic instability (SeIns) in art, exploring how artworks challenge viewers' perceptions and offer multiple interpretations. The authors, Muth, Hesslinger, and Carbon, conducted a classification study using experiential reports from participants viewing various 20th and 21st-century artworks. Through k-means cluster analysis, they identified four key variants of SeIns: integrative blend, multistability, indeterminacy, and contradiction to perceptual habits. The study aims to provide a more systematic understanding of SeIns, moving beyond theoretical frameworks towards empirical classification and revealing how art manipulates our expectations and cognitive processes.