interactive technologies.

The influence of endo-aesthetics on the way art is understood is based on its conceptualizations of self-referentiality, simulation, and virtuality (immaterialization); on interactivity and relativity; on the priority conceded to the interactor in the context of the work (internal and external observer); and, finally, on the interface. The understanding and analysis of interactive systems from an endo-aesthetic perspective result from the reflection upon an ‹aesthetics beyond aesthetics› and from the transition of art to system. These works can be defined as complex, flexible, context-conditioned, hypermedia, and multidisciplinary systems. Their specific object is the reciprocal communication process (cognitive, intuitive, sensorial, sensomotoric) on very diverse levels (audience—system; system—interactor; interactors within a system; context— system) on both online and offline platforms. From the endo-aesthetic viewpoint these works ‹exist› (that is, make sense and develop their performance) as such only in the measure to which there is a reciprocal and active (real or virtual) relationship between interactor(s) and system (work).

The interactive system is insofar always potential, and does not exist in actively autonomous form, since it is dependent on the action of the observer or environment, be this action visual, acoustic, tactile, gestural or motoric, be it energetic (as in the case of brainwaves), or physical (as in the case of respiration and movement).

Investigating interactive systems from an endo-aesthetic perspective enables firstly the creation of virtual spaces and realities as systems or model worlds, secondly the relativity of observer-dependent systems, and thirdly by means of interface the integration of internal observers into a (virtual) system that can be observed from the external perspective. Endo-aesthetics prepares the ground for an understanding of a possible ‹alteration of the world› that, through the placing in question both of the world itself and of our truths, our life and its biological system, unfolds as an expansion of our realities (experiences, perceptions, impressions) and as knowledge of our environment. The endo-aesthetic theory proposed in connection with media art, and with interactive art in particular, is liable to meet with