We are delighted to announce that one paper from the Future Media Art Lab (FMA Lab, Prof. Jin-Wan Park) have been accepted to Architecture Image Studies (SCOPUS).

Title:
Aesthetic Study of Panopticon Space Implemented in Virtual Space

Authors:
Cha Youna, Jin Wan Park

Abstract:
This study aims to examine works that incorporate panopticon space from an artistic perspective. The term “panopticon space” derives from the panopticon, a circular prison first conceived in 1791 by Jeremy Bentham (1748–1832), in which a central watchtower enables constant surveillance of all inmates. This spatial configuration produces an effect that restricts the behavior of those confined within it. In other words, the space itself induces performativity in its occupants. Accordingly, the present study seeks to explore the aesthetics of performativity as it manifests the distinctive characteristics of panopticon space.

In classical art, the flow of information was unidirectional, moving solely from the artist to the audience (one-way). However, in the art field following postmodernism, both the artist and the audience have come to assume the role of participants together. Depending on the audience’s preferences, the artistic act itself may change, and the audience can even alter the outcome in the direction they desire; in summary, the environment has transformed into one characterized by interaction. Media art, which has emerged as a new artistic domain, can be said to have interactivity as its core defining feature. Meanwhile, with the advancement of digital technology, computer games have firmly established themselves as a distinct cultural genre.

Against this background, the researcher recognizes the differences that exist between conventional physical spaces and virtual spaces, and focuses on examining agency and performativity, which are among the defining characteristics of virtual space. Furthermore, the study seeks to ensure expandability and scholarly rigor by grounding the research in established theoretical frameworks.

Research into the inherent artistry and aesthetic approaches unique to virtual space is undoubtedly important. However, this study considers interactivity—the point that most distinctly differentiates virtual space from other art genres—and, within that, the performativity that demands active play from the user, as the central focus. In other words, it aims to connect the theory of performativity in virtual space with the theory of performativity in art, thereby establishing an integrated theoretical framework that bridges these two perspectives. Currently, research on virtual space remains relatively scarce in many academic journals compared to studies on other media or popular culture. Moreover, since the 1960s, artists, critics, art theorists, and philosophers have argued for the need to break down boundaries between artistic domains, and have put this into practice. Traditional aesthetic theory has limitations in explaining virtual space.