Which color is best for the walls of an art gallery? This question is asked often and while there may not be a “right” answer, many people have their opinions. Speaking about the heavily colored walls, Jake says: “These colors may make people feel comfortable, but they distort viewers' perception of the paintings. A certain shade of gray or white is best: paintings stand out better against a neutral background, and the colors of the painting are realistic against a neutral background” (Boddy-Evans). While the color of the wall could very well depend on the work displayed, the color could also influence the mood of the viewers, in turn changing their opinion of the work. An equally convinced Jonathan Jones, of The Guardian, believes: “The best wall color is sad – a sad color that the gallery-goer doesn't even notice. The colors you should remember are those of the paintings” (Jones). While these are both valid opinions, you can't know until you experience it. This article will examine the history of color and mood and attempt to answer the question at hand. Does the color of the wall influence the viewer's perception of the work in an art exhibition? Color is everywhere and plays a huge role in our lives. Trucco says it best when he says, “…color is at work, often on a subliminal level, massaging your mood, tickling your emotions, teasing your brain” (Trucco 8). The color of and in a room can greatly influence the aura of the space. Colors can take us back to the past, recreating specific moods or events (Trick 13). In the book Think Color, Tricia Guild associates soft purples with a relaxed, restful state (Guild 115). In an indicative association study, Japanese people were found to differ in many color connotations compared to Americans. American str...... middle of paper ......nk Color. San Fransico: Chronicle Books, 2003. Print.Hoppen, Stephanie. Perfect neutrals: the color you can live with. New York City: Watson-Guptill, 2006. Print.Hugendubel, Eleonore. “Small Steps to Bigger Changes: MoMA Changes Wall Colors.” In/out. Np, 2010. Web. 20 February 2012. Jones, Jonathan. “What color should the gallery walls be?” The Guardian. Np, 2011. Web. 19 February 2012. .Kitao, Kenji and S Kathleen Kitao. "A study of color association differences between Americans and Japanese." Human communication studies; V13 P59-75 Spr 1986, 13 (April 1986) (1986): 59-75.Trucco, Terry. Color and design details. Glen Cove: PBC International, 1998. Print.