Li, Yiwen;
(2025)
Embodied Experiences in Virtual Reality Artworks.
Doctoral thesis (Ph.D), UCL (University College London).
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Abstract
This thesis explores participant experiences of virtual reality (VR) artworks from an embodied perspective, aiming to provide an in-depth understanding of how individuals engage with immersive art. It investigates three central areas: how participants interact with VR art in embodied ways; how individual positionalities shape these engagements; and how immersion can be unpacked from a participant-centred approach. Framed through posthumanist theory, the research examines the co-constructive relationships between physical and virtual bodies and environments, highlighting the fluid, hybrid nature of embodiment within VR artworks. The study employs qualitative methods, including autoethnography and three case studies involving non-narrative, interactive VR artworks. Data were collected through observation and semi-structured interviews and analysed thematically. To trace how movements, thoughts, feelings, and meanings unfold, I use storyboarding as a visual analytical tool. This approach maps participants’ experiential flow across time and space, offering a layered view of their embodied interactions. Key findings identify cooperative dynamics and autonomous exploration as central to understanding VR art experiences. Cooperative dynamics unfold through: (1) shared authorship between artists and participants; (2) the interplay between human and nonhuman agencies; and (3) the co-constitution of immersive technologies and embodied connections. Simultaneously, autonomous exploration—facilitated by non-linear paths, unscripted movements, and contextual guidance—supports personalised and thematically coherent interactions. This thesis contributes to growing conversations around embodiment, immersion, and viewer agency in VR art. It emphasises the importance of designing VR experiences that support reflective, exploratory, and participant-led interactions. By prioritising the relational and situated nature of embodiment, this research offers both theoretical insights and methodological tools for understanding how immersive media can foster nuanced and meaningful engagements.
| Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Qualification: | Ph.D |
| Title: | Embodied Experiences in Virtual Reality Artworks |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | Copyright © The Author 2025. Original content in this thesis is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) Licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/). Any third-party copyright material present remains the property of its respective owner(s) and is licensed under its existing terms. |
| UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Education UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Education > UCL Institute of Education UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Education > UCL Institute of Education > IOE - Culture, Communication and Media |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10210098 |
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