Intramediary presence : body, interactivity and networked distribution in immersive virtual reality art

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dc.contributor.advisorRichards, Colinen_ZA
dc.contributor.advisorLamprecht, Andrewen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorLeibbrandt, Timen_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2015-10-14T12:34:45Z
dc.date.available2015-10-14T12:34:45Z
dc.date.issued2013en_ZA
dc.description.abstractThis thesis is concerned with the ways in which the medium of immersive virtual reality has been utilised in the art context since the early 1990s, with a view towards the contemporary relevance of the medium. Artworks that have been realised through both Head-Mounted Display (HMD) and CAVE Automatic Virtual Environment (CAVE) systems are discussed. The first chapter uses the 1993 Solomon R. Guggenheim exhibition 'Virtual Reality: An Emerging Medium' as a starting point in order to introduce the defining concepts of immersion and interactivity into the discussion. Thereafter, the second chapter is focussed on the body in relation to immersive virtual reality, examining the idea of virtual disembodiment in detail. This discussion is influenced by William Gibson's dichotomizing of "meatspace" and "cyberspace" in Neuromancer (1984). The psychological effects of avatars (the virtual body that surrogates for the physical body in virtual reality) are also looked at. The third chapter extensively discusses the ideas of agency, interactivity and narrative in relation to expanded immersive models of cinema that incorporate active audience participation. Gonzalo Frasca's video game theory concepts of "ludology" and "narratology" are applied, as are ideas of agency from Brenda Laurel's Computers as Theatre (1993) and Janet H. Murray's Hamlet on the Holodeck (1998). These notions of agency are also juxtaposed with the problem of passivity within conventional 3D cinema. The fourth chapter concerns cyberspace (defined as a middle-space that emerges between networked telecommunication technologies) and its implications for immersive virtual reality. The chapter concludes with a nod towards the growing potential of the Internet to facilitate the distribution of immersive virtual environment artworks. Finally, the conclusion looks at technological developments that have taken place during the two years that this thesis was written in order to suggest ways forward for the medium.en_ZA
dc.identifier.apacitationLeibbrandt, T. (2013). <i>Intramediary presence : body, interactivity and networked distribution in immersive virtual reality art</i>. (Thesis). University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Humanities ,Michaelis School of Fine Art. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/14245en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationLeibbrandt, Tim. <i>"Intramediary presence : body, interactivity and networked distribution in immersive virtual reality art."</i> Thesis., University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Humanities ,Michaelis School of Fine Art, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/14245en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationLeibbrandt, T. 2013. Intramediary presence : body, interactivity and networked distribution in immersive virtual reality art. University of Cape Town.en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Leibbrandt, Tim AB - This thesis is concerned with the ways in which the medium of immersive virtual reality has been utilised in the art context since the early 1990s, with a view towards the contemporary relevance of the medium. Artworks that have been realised through both Head-Mounted Display (HMD) and CAVE Automatic Virtual Environment (CAVE) systems are discussed. The first chapter uses the 1993 Solomon R. Guggenheim exhibition 'Virtual Reality: An Emerging Medium' as a starting point in order to introduce the defining concepts of immersion and interactivity into the discussion. Thereafter, the second chapter is focussed on the body in relation to immersive virtual reality, examining the idea of virtual disembodiment in detail. This discussion is influenced by William Gibson's dichotomizing of "meatspace" and "cyberspace" in Neuromancer (1984). The psychological effects of avatars (the virtual body that surrogates for the physical body in virtual reality) are also looked at. The third chapter extensively discusses the ideas of agency, interactivity and narrative in relation to expanded immersive models of cinema that incorporate active audience participation. Gonzalo Frasca's video game theory concepts of "ludology" and "narratology" are applied, as are ideas of agency from Brenda Laurel's Computers as Theatre (1993) and Janet H. Murray's Hamlet on the Holodeck (1998). These notions of agency are also juxtaposed with the problem of passivity within conventional 3D cinema. The fourth chapter concerns cyberspace (defined as a middle-space that emerges between networked telecommunication technologies) and its implications for immersive virtual reality. The chapter concludes with a nod towards the growing potential of the Internet to facilitate the distribution of immersive virtual environment artworks. Finally, the conclusion looks at technological developments that have taken place during the two years that this thesis was written in order to suggest ways forward for the medium. DA - 2013 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2013 T1 - Intramediary presence : body, interactivity and networked distribution in immersive virtual reality art TI - Intramediary presence : body, interactivity and networked distribution in immersive virtual reality art UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/14245 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/14245
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationLeibbrandt T. Intramediary presence : body, interactivity and networked distribution in immersive virtual reality art. [Thesis]. University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Humanities ,Michaelis School of Fine Art, 2013 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/14245en_ZA
dc.language.isoengen_ZA
dc.publisher.departmentMichaelis School of Fine Arten_ZA
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Humanitiesen_ZA
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.subject.otherFine Arten_ZA
dc.titleIntramediary presence : body, interactivity and networked distribution in immersive virtual reality arten_ZA
dc.typeMaster Thesis
dc.type.qualificationlevelMasters
dc.type.qualificationnameMAen_ZA
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourceThesisen_ZA
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