blue|red: VIMS\SIMS

BACKGROUND Participatory, multisensory installations such as works by Höller (2015) and Hentschläger (2008) create corporeally immersive environments. Whilst sensorial immersion is critical to these works, the physiological mechanics are only part of a more general aesthetic interest. What if the 'art' was the physiological response itself? CONTRIBUTION blue|red VIMS\SIMS is an Inter-arts/Multimedia installation fusing sound, light and vibration. It uses Gibson's 1954 writing as impetus to explore the idea that the sensation of nausea can be a fine artwork in itself. Accordingly, it looks beyond aesthetic consumption to the end physiological experience. The audient can choose from a set of headphones which engender visually-induced motion sickness and a pair which simultaneously analyses that experience as it unfolds, educating the participant in their physiological mechanics. Through a playful approach the work weakens boundaries between the academy, arts and popular culture: serious academic analysis as popular entertainment; physical discomfort as fine art. SIGNIFICANCE With the acceleration of VR, understanding the psychophysiological mechanics of multisensory integration in user experience is positioned to be crucial across a range of outcomes. Feeding into an increased knowledge of motion sickness through audiovisual relationships will be a central concern to the industry. The (((20hz))) installation will run from mid November 2016 to mid February 2017, taking in White Night (one of Melbourne's key public events). Beyond (((20hz)))'s ongoing popularity through their innovative challenges to established Fine Art codes, they are also consistently recognized with various grants (having secured City of Melbourne, Australia Council as well as two Creative Victoria commissions in the last two years). This work was commissioned by the gallery for Morbis Artis, an event itself supported by research funds from Deakin and RMIT universities.