Immersive Environments and Live Visuals

This chapter broadly covers immersive environments from the period of the 1980s to the 2010s. Looking at the ways in which Live Visuals have been used in media art, virtual reality and installation art, this chapter presents some conceptual, narrative and formal models for the use of live audio-visuals in a transmedia installation context. The chapter also gives a very general historical overview of immersion in Western history, starting with Alberti’s theory of the vanishing point in the 15th century, moving through the panoramas of the 18th century, the stereoscopes of the 19th century and on to developments in virtual and artificial reality in the mid-20th century. The chapter looks at several examples of interactive art, immersive environments and virtual reality that exemplify the use of real-time images for the general purpose of audience immersion. In conclusion the chapter argues forcefully for a holistic view of transmedia production, wherein all elements are considered carefully in relation to each other and are used to enhance both the sense of ‘liveness’ in audio-visual performance and the audience experience of a technologically mediated environment.