States of Immersion Across Media Bodies, Techniques, Practices

Immersion across media opens our perception to altered states of consciousness. Far from disconnecting us from our surroundings, these experiences reframe the ways we connect to the world and to others. The constant onslaught of new technologies—each allegedly reaching closer to the holy grail of perfect immersion—provides a confusing yet stimulating playground for creators. Myriad new media forms redefine our immersive habits and patterns of gratification. Classical theories of immersion, focused on perceptual illusions or ideal flow states, cannot easily account for this confusing remix of audiovisual forms and practices. In an age where the production of technologies and forms accelerates, States of Immersion Across Media invites readers to slow down and reflect on immersive practices, both new and old, their impact on our bodies, how they attune our affects, the disruptions they afford, and the creative encounters they generate.