Immersion and Interaction
From Circular Frescoes to Interactive Image Spaces
Oliver Grau

Digital art is open, transient, interdisciplinary, multimedia, processual, discursive, concept- and context-dependent, and, in addition, is increasingly oriented toward interaction with the recipient. Within the evolving art genres, virtual art has begun to further dismantle the traditional tableau; this time, in favor of a processual model of art. Interaction, telematics and genetic image processes not only encourage the crossing of boundaries; they also drive the trend toward fusing the perception of the users with interfaces that increasingly assail the entire suite of human senses. There are now immersive works that integrate into virtual art the genres of architecture, sculpture, painting, scenography, theater, film, photography, and even historic image media such as the panorama. The author demonstrates that concepts of immersion that are primarily mediated in a visual form have their own art and media history, a course that comprises various stations before reaching the present time. [more]

Photography and media representation Art and image worlds Lineage of the tradition of immersion The panorama and its precursors I: The Sedan panorama The panorama and its precursors II: The «Calvary» The panorama and its precursors III: «Villa dei Misteri» The panorama and cinema Immersion as a concept Image spheres Displays Dispositions of the observers «Iconic turn» The ‹natural interface›: «Osmose» Inner distance Virtual spaces of knowledge: Knowbotic Research/Hegedüs/Fleischmann Interactive theater Telepresence «Telegarden» «Telematic Dreaming» «Traces» Evolution: Genetic art Summary