The evolution of interactivity in the visual arts as beholden to the notion of the participant is well known. The participant provides a neat and historical narrative for the precursors of what we call interactive art. However, the focus on the singular participant, much like a deterministic focus on the technology, merely exacerbates many age-old technology and user binaries. This paper presents an alternative narrative that charts Systems art and cybernetics theory as precursors to a version of interactivity that attempts to move beyond such binaries. The hope is to move the focus away from singular, more taxonomic narratives that illustrate the quantitative value of inputs and outputs, so that we can begin to describe the greater co-dependencies in systems that afford the actual interaction.

My research into Virtual Reality technology and its central property of immersion has indicated that immersion in Virtual Reality (VR) electronic systems is a significant key to the understanding of contemporary culture as well as considerable aspects of previous culture as detected in the histories of philosophy and the visual arts. The fundamental change in aesthetic perception engendered by immersion, a perception which is connected to the ideal of total-immersion in virtual space, identifies certain shifts in ontology which are relevant to a better understanding of the human being. This understanding was achieved through a broad inquiry into the histories of Virtual Reality, philosophy, and the visual arts and has lead to the formulation of an aesthetic theory of immersive consciousness indicative of immersive culture. The primary subject of this discourse is immersion then: an experience which will be identified within the dissertation as the indispensable characteristic of Virtual Reality. The understanding of immersion arrived at here will be used to fashion a synchronous theory of art particularly informed by encounters and concepts of immersion into virtuality. To sufficiently address this subject in a scholarly fashion, I have researched, found and accumulated aesthetic and philosophic examples of immersive tendencies, as found within the histories of art and philosophy, which subsequently contributed towards the articulation of what I have come to call immersive consciousness.

Lori Landay, Berklee Games and Interactive @LoirL You attach the kite to one hand, the suitcase called baggage to the other, and the movement surprises with its swift turns and swoops, its poignant rises, its inevitable drifts downward again. The word "soon" sums it up-not now, not yet: hopes pulling up and at the same time, waiting for "soon" holding you down. Your avatar's knees draw up as it skims across the surface of artist Maya Paris's virtual installation, "soon, soon, quick, quick, soon." Your avatar, your visual representation and locus of agency in the virtual world, engages in a performance, perhaps only for yourself, that can be considered worldmaking, an example of virtual techné. Virtual art makes metaphors manifest, and, to the extent to which virtual subjectivity connects to actual subjectivity, you experience the kinaesthetic emotional Figure 1 Interactive virtual art installation "soon, soon, quick, quick, soon" by Maya Paris gives the avatar wearable kite and baggage, which makes her spin and float. The installation is filled with clickable objects in constant motion that put the avatar into animations, spew words, and emit sounds. Still image captured by Lori Landay.

‒ Diluted Presence in Rouge Mékong: a proposition for the intermedial scene ‒ In this paper it is described the presence mediated by imaging devices. It is focused on the contemporary intermedial scene, emerging as the highlighted study Rouge Mékong, an immersive spectacle developed by Collectif Lebovitz, a Canadian interdisciplinary collective of artists. This experience will guide us as a systematization of the presence effect concept, developed by Josette Féral, and investigated here as a constituent of the dramaturgy of this spectacle. It is also investigated the presentation of discussions focused on the presence of the actor mediated by virtual image technology and the expectations of perception on the audience raised by Auslander (2008), Féral (2012) and Lehmann (2007) when in relation to the intermedial scene. Keywords: Presence Effect. Intermedial Scene. Perception. Immersion and Interdisciplinarity. RÉSUMÉ ‒ Présence Diluée dans Rouge Mékong: une proposition pour la scène intermédiale ‒ Nous avons l'intention de discuter dans cet article les dispositifs d'image et la présence médiée par eux. Notre accent est mis sur la scène contemporaine intermédiale, émergeant comme étude de premier plan le spectacle immersif Rouge Mékong développé par le collectif Canadien des artistes interdisciplinaires, Collectif Lebovitz. Cette expérience va nous guider comme une oeuvre de systématisation du concept effet de présence développé par Josette Feral, étudié ici en tant que constituant de la dramaturgie de ce spectacle. On y étudie encore la présentation de discussions tournées vers la présence de l'acteur associé à la médiation par la technologie de l'image virtuelle et les attentes de perception de l'audience soulevées par Auslander (2008), Féral (2012) et Lehmann (2007) en ce qui concerne la scène intermédiale. Mots-clés: Effet de Présence. Scène Intermédiale. Perception. Immersion et Interdisciplinarité. RESUMO ‒ Presença Diluída em Rouge Mékong: uma proposição para a cena intermedial ‒ Descreve-se neste artigo a presença mediada por dispositivos de imagem. O recorte proposto situa a cena contemporânea intermedial, emergindo como estudo de destaque o espetáculo imersivo Rouge Mékong, desenvolvido pelo coletivo canadense de artistas interdisciplinares, Collectif Lebovitz. A referida experiência nos guiará como obra sistematizadora do conceito efeito de presença, desenvolvido por Josette Féral, e aqui investigado como constituinte da dramaturgia desse espetáculo. Investiga-se ainda a apresentação de discussões voltadas para a presença do ator mediada pela tecnologia da imagem virtual e as possibilidades de percepção sobre o espectador levantadas por Auslander (2008), Féral (2012) e Lehmann (2007) quando em relação à cena intermedial. Palavras-chave: Efeito de Presença. Cena Intermedial. Percepção. Imersão e Interdisciplinaridade.

This dissertation aims to understand in detail the relationship between play and the sense-making process in interactive art encounters. It argues that play and the ludic character observed in such encounters are fundamental dimensions, which predominate in many interactive art experiences. From this perspective, we propose to examine in depth the type and nature of play but also to understand how its emergence affects the symbolic understanding of the experience. Moreover, it argues that despite the emphasis on the bodily, sensorial and performative, interactive artworks still hold a sense that needs to be interpreted by participants. As such, our analysis aims to verify if play, operationality and bodily performance override the symbolic dimensions of the encounter or if, instead, there is still a space for detached reflection about our lived and felt experience. To accomplish this task an interpretative phenomenological method was applied to examine the reception of three different artworks in natural settings. This method was prepared and adapted according to each interactive artwork. Furthermore, by reviving the concept of psychical distance developed by Edward Bullough, we examine the concept of aesthetic distance in interactive arts, refining this discussion with the data provided by our qualitative analysis. FR ~ Expérience et Signification dans les Arts Interactifs / Influence du Jeu libre et Distance Esthétique dans les Expériences Interactives Cette dissertation vise à comprendre en détail la relation entre jeu libre (free-play) et construction de sens dans les expériences esthétiques interactives. Nous soutenons ici que le jeu et le caractère ludique que nous observons sont des aspects fondamentaux et prédominants dans la plupart de ces expériences interactives. Nous nous proposons donc d’analyser en profondeur la nature du jeu déclenché par ces expériences, mais aussi de comprendre son influence sur la compréhension symbolique de l’expérience. Malgré l’accent mis sur les aspects corporels, sensoriels et performatifs, nous défendons l’idée que les œuvres interactives portent un sens qui doit être interprété par les participants. Dans cette perspective, notre analyse cherche plus spécifiquement à vérifier si le jeu-libre, les opérations techniques et la performance corporelle surpassent les dimensions symboliques de l’expérience ou si, au contraire, il y a encore la place pour une réflexion sur le vécu et le ressenti. Afin de développer cette recherche nous avons utilisé une méthodologie IPA (Analyse Interprétative Phénoménologique) pour examiner la réception de trois installations interactives auprès des participants. Cette méthodologie était préparée et adaptée en fonction de chaque œuvre interactive. Enfin, en ranimant le concept de distance mentale développé par Edward Bullough, nous examinons le concept de distance esthétique dans les arts interactifs, affinant cette discussion grâce aux données récoltées lors de notre analyse qualitative. PT ~ Experiência e Construção de Significado nas Artes Interactivas / A Influência do Jogo livre e Distância Estética nas Experiências Interactivas Esta dissertação procura compreender e descrever detalhadamente a relação entre jogo livre e o processo de criação de significado na recepção de obras de arte interactivas. Argumenta-se que o jogo e o carácter lúdico observados durante este tipo de recepção artística predominam em muitas destas experiências interactivas. Nesta perspectiva, propõe-se examinar aprofundadamente a natureza e o tipo de jogo que surgem destas interações mas também compreender como é que a sua emergência afecta a compreensão simbólica da experiência. Argumenta-se ainda que apesar da enfâse dada à redescoberta do corpo e dos sentidos, à performance corporal e a outros aspectos da ação fomentados por este tipo de experiências, estas também encerram significados que requerem uma interpretação por parte dos participantes. Como tal, esta análise procura verificar se o jogo, a performance corporal e as operações necessárias para ativar a experiência se sobrepõem à dimensão simbólica do encontro ou se por outro lado, ainda existe “espaço” para uma reflecção distanciada sobre a experiência vivida e sentida. Para realizar este estudo desenvolveu-se um método IPA (Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis) para examinar a recepção de três obras interactivas em condições naturais. Além disso, através da revisão do conceito psychical distance desenvolvido por Edward Bullough, analisou-se o conceito de distância estética aplicado às artes interactivas. Esta discussão foi refinada e enriquecida através dos dados provenientes das análises qualitativas.