The critical distance evoked by media theorist Oliver Grau is what enables a certain degree of objectivity in the reception or analysis of art. While we might welcome the heightened emotional involvement generated by immersion in art, the rapid development of an industry of immersive exhibitions, even in museums, raises concerns about the pervasive influence of entertainment culture. Will we soon experience art solely through virtual or augmented reality?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The immersive effect is not, however, exclusive to technology. Large frescos, for example, already allowed us to feel corporeally part of the work. We can also experience a sense of immersion in a sonic or olfactory environment, in the immateriality of colour, or even in an affective atmosphere. In this issue, perhaps in order to circumvent technology\u2019s obvious contribution to immersive art, some of the writers chose to link the theme with more or less traditional media, or even literally by observing the immersion of bodies in water. This does not mean, however, denying the use of cutting-edge technologies, either in daily life or in art practices. In the opening article, Jose Luis de Vicente suggests \u201creclaiming the radicality of [immersion\u2019s] foundational premise,\u201d namely the \u201cdesire to contest the centrality and monotony of the single focal point in visual culture.\u201d Indeed, multiplying the spatial or conceptual points of view, creating a multisensory experience, and encouraging viewer interaction by giving them the possibility of playing an active role in the work are the current aims of immersive art.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The body\u2019s presence is a common denominator in all immersive environments. Yet our feature section is distinct in that it lays claim to a conscious and attentive presence, which tends to fade or disappear in the entertainment economy and the digital environment of our screens. We focus on works that rely on listening and sustained attention rather than on sensory amplification and overload\u200a\u2014\u200aworks that sometimes involve relatively simple and minimally-invasive apparatuses, though on occasion are somewhat more elaborate\u2014in which participation is not, with few exceptions, passive or devoid of critical thought. Subtle differences are encountered specifically in works that reproduce the usual conditions of digital immersion, almost unavoidable since the advent of artificial intelligence, in which we are evermore engrossed. This high degree of immersion, which Kristen Lewis calls a \u201cnumbing preoccupation,\u201d since it operates without our knowledge but also, paradoxically, with our approval, is likewise examined by Kevin T. Day in relation to large language models (LLMs) and strategies of addictive design. The data mining practices of the web giants exploiting these models and strategies, now called surveillance capitalism thanks to economic researcher Shoshana Zuboff, have far-reaching consequences: social, in terms of human freedom and the right to privacy; political, given that these technologies are also used in the service of power; and environmental, if we consider the pollution caused by data collection and accumulation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whereas many artists use immersive technologies to reveal the pervasiveness of digital data and power structures, others draw on them to create enticing, playful, or oneiric experiences that are sometimes distressing, yet often benevolent. In addition to fully engaging the senses, these experiences give rise to physical and neurological phenomena, such as synesthesia, proprioception, or haptic perception, more than ever turning the body into the subject, the actor, and the theatre of the work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What we ultimately understand in reading all of the articles in this issue is that immersion is not just a (real, virtual, or augmented) physical experience triggered by the technological hardware of an apparatus. It is also a subjective experience, a state of mind that comes with its own affects, which are experienced differently, or to varying degrees, by each individual from the moment when they decide to dive into a work. The resulting mental absorption is certainly stimulating, but just like we can\u2019t remain permanently immersed in an aquatic environment, it seems essential, in the world of immersive technologies, to regularly come up to the surface in order to maintain our critical distance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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