Y11 Psychology NGV Excursion
On 16 October, our Year 11 Psychology students recently travelled to the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) to deepen their understanding of visual perception. This excursion provided a unique, real-world context for their studies, allowing students to see firsthand how psychological principles are applied in art. The central theme was understanding that what we “see” in the world and in artwork is an active construction created by our brain, not just a passive copy of the world.
Students were tasked with analysing various artworks, identifying how artists manipulate fundamental visual cues to create their intended effects. Key concepts from their VCE curriculum, such as Gestalt principles (like proximity and similarity), depth cues (including linear perspective, interposition, and texture gradient), were no longer just abstract theories in a textbook.
By examining how painters create the illusion of three-dimensional space on a two-dimensional canvas, students gained a more profound appreciation for the complex processes underpinning their own sight. The excursion was a fantastic success, demonstrating the powerful intersection of art and science.
Ms Megan Wang – Psychology