THE ART OF VIRTUAL INFORMATION EXCHANGE AND ITS INFLUENCE ON REAL CITY SPACE

Abstract

The paper investigates the impact of the new genres of contemporary public art based on the virtual information exchange in real spaces of the cities. On the basis of theoretical approaches, trans-disciplinary surveys and case studies, the paper focuses on the art that not only relies on the technological support but also refers to the new public sphere, where people are co-creators of the art object giving their personal input into the final form. This art is very often experimental and sometimes brings about effects that are more than just esthetically pleasant or interesting from an artistic point of view. As it appears, even art based on the virtual information exchange has the power to stimulate city renewal processes. Interactive art installations, responsive environments and artistic media facades placed in public spaces have proved to have the potential to modify the perception of urban spaces and to activate the city dwellers, having a strong impact on the functioning of the city. While this form of public participation based on the physical presence of people on the streets and their direct involvement in creating a work of art remains a fertile ground for artistic experimentations, other genres of technically supported participatory works of art are emerging. They are based on remote participation by means of Internet or remote devices. These forms of art are built on the information exchange processes. People are sharing their personal experiences and feelings from the city spaces, their emotions and opinions about the places. The data is collected in a virtual space and serves as material for artistic experimentations. This paper analyses the influence of such artworks in different forms, such as city mapping, media screens or mutable digital installations, on the transformation process of urban public spaces. It reveals that the virtual information exchange transformed into artworks may have a practical impact on the real spaces of the cities.