Into the Belly of the Image: Historical Aspects of Virtual Reality

Virtual reality (VR) is a constant phenomenon in art history that can be traced back to antiquity. It can involve an area of ritual action, a private, artificial paradise, or a public sphere with politically suggestive power—in short, it encompasses a visual history that is characterized by totality. The concept of transposing viewers into an enclosed, illusionary visual space has been revived and expanded in the VR art of the current age. The more intimately an interface nestles into viewers’ senses, the more intense their immersion will be. Such an interface weakens the viewers’ sense of psychological distance and puts the relationship between art and consciousness into question.