The importance of White and White Noise

I went to a couple of the west loop galleries on Friday night. I was really interested in the atmosphere that many of these galleries cultivated. The presence of white was essential, and bright artificial lighting. Coupled with the stark white boxes of the gallery, the presence of noise became even more noticeable. Some galleries decided to control this white noise by playing music in the background. But others did not, allowing all of the discussions to become a part of the show. This white noise became an important element of the gallery opening experience. The dialogue of the attendees became part of the art and influenced my interpretations of certain pieces. I can't decide of this is a positive or negative element of the gallery opening but I as a viewer did feel less engaged by the art in the more silent and less occupied galleries.