Abstract

The rapid technological change of our society provides a revision of the perception of cyberarts and interactive works. While the spectacle of technology remains a dominant factor concerning many interactive projects, surprisingly few artists examine the social relations of the viewer with art objects. This is intriguing as current technological advances clearly enable enhanced communication between the artwork and the audience, providing a variety of options for an effective exploration of interaction as a state of transaction. On examination, underneath the most obvious and often dazzling exterior layer, one mostly encounters a predetermined set of responses nested in pre-framed constructions. Consequently, the interaction between the audience and the artwork needs further exploration. How more effectively could we involve the viewer within the artwork? Audience awareness indicates comprehension, knowledge, cognition, perception and recognition. How do these concepts correspond to notions of interactivity? How is consciousness (of the participant/viewer) addressed in interactive artworks? How can interactive technology be used to enrich social interaction?

• Bettina Schülke, Mediastudies, Faculty of Art and Design, University of Lapland, Finland
• Nina Czegledy, KMDI, University of Toronto, Concordia University, Montreal, Canada. Moholy Nagy University, Budapest, Hungary

Full text (PDF)  p. 1012-1018