What can we learn from our visual system about the nature of experience? This presentation will introduce methods by which we can radically manipulate our visual perception.
By virtue of having two eyes, we are gifted the rich visual experience of three-dimensionality. However, the way in which we internalise our external world is complex, yet we are generally unaware of the fact. In truth, our visual process is full of perceptual ambiguities and flaws that our brains need to resolve. This presentation discusses classes held as part of an Interdisciplinary Art course at a liberal arts college in Japan which encourage students to investigate first-hand the very nature of their own vision. By recreating various phenomena of vision through a combination of drawing, photography, and viewing devices, students are better able to reflect on the illusionary experience of seeing in new and interesting ways. There are several benefits to such modes of experimental self-inquiry. Firstly, they encourage visual art students to be more aware of how they interpret visual information, in essence, how they see. This hands-on approach to theories of vision is accessible and exciting, helping foster an interest in contemporary critical practice. Secondly, as a mode of artistic investigation, these methods can evoke heightened emotional responses as part of interactive art installations. Students will gain a deeper appreciation of the rich history of stereoscopic art through their understanding of how they themselves see. Finally, as virtual reality (VR) systems are used increasingly in gaming and entertainment, students will be able to grasp the physiological mechanism on which such technology depends. Through the discussion of the points listed above, participants are encouraged to reconsider the very nature of vision and the exciting possibilities that it offers in art education and practice.