Davies played a significant role in multimedia art history, as Osmose involves the primary of attributes of the new media such high interactivity, integration with the assistance of the 3D graphics, immersion, and hypermedia principles, strong interdependence between these aspects has a tendency to exist and determines a unique and emotional nature of Osmose. The primary goal of this essay is to analyze Osmose as one of the examples of multimedia with the assistance of the article Changing Space: Virtual Reality as an Arena of Embodied Being by Davies and the chapter Virtual Art! – Digital! The Natural Interface by Grau.
Firstly, the first aspect is interactivity has to be evaluated, as it has a substantial contribution to the formation of the primary principles of multimedia. In this instance, Davies implies the role of interactivity by sounds and touch, as the interface has a tendency to react the user’s action and speech (1997, p. 193). In turn, Grau implies that the Osmose’ ability to provide a consistent experience to the users contributes to the presence of interactivity and success of Osmose environment (2003, p. 193). In this instance, it remains evident that the interactivity is one of the essential attributes of the multimedia, as it involves the participation of the users. This feature of Osmose implies the unique nature of the new media and its ability to stay connected to the other features such as immersion and hypermedia, as the interactive nature is rather broad and cultivates the new user experience to follow the flow of the Davies’ perceptions and thoughts.
As for the immersion, Davies mentions that the immersion with the integrative interface of Osmose is highly diverse and varies in the portrayal of the emotionality of the participants (1997, p. 294). As for the immersion, Grau states that the user gets to experience the flow of thoughts by regularly changing scenarios related to the environment and nature (2003, p. 199). In this instance, the user does not experience the transition, as it remains rather smooth. Furthermore, Grau implies that the user feels in control of the situation and drives through the scenes avoiding obstacles (2003, p. 199). This aspect assists in the ability to get emotionally involved in the installation. It is evident that interactivity is a core determinant of the existence of immersion, and correlation of these two aspects cannot be unnoticed.
As for the hypermedia, in this instance, the combination of the multiple sources of integration, which are applied in Osmose, tend to help the user to remain highly integrated into the interface both emotionally and physically (Davies, 1997, p. 294). Grau also underlines the existence of the integration and hypermedia by describing the usage of multiple sources to provide a unique experience to the user (2003, p. 195). It remains evident that these aspects determine the success of the installation and allow the users to feel and experience the art in a new way by being closely connected to the artist with the assistance of the various sounds and modes of interaction.
In the end, the integration, interactivity, immersion, and hypermedia remain highly connected and contribute to the successful formation of the primary goal of the new media to have an emotional contact with the user. All of the aspects contribute to the ability to provide the user with the new interactive experience and bring the perceptions and capabilities of art to the new level. The integration of the main features of the new media allows Osmose to remain a piece of art from a new era by providing high emotional experience to the users.
References
Davies, C. (1997). Changing space: Virtual reality as an Arena of embodied being. In R. Packer & K. Jordan (Eds.), Multimedia: From Wagner to virtual reality (293-300). New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company.
Grau, O. (2003). Virtual Art! – Digital! The natural interface. In O. Grau (Eds.), Virtual art: From illusion to immersion (pp. 192-211). Cambridge, MA: The Massachusetts Institute of Technology Press.