Explaining Polyphony in Interactive Arts

Introduction: Postmodernism serves as a dynamic foundation for the creation of new theories and forms that have brought about remarkable transformations across various fields. Some of these theories critique the very nature of modern art and pave the way for the emergence of new artistic expressions. Polyphony, as a novel approach in literature and art, was first introduced by «Bakhtin» and holds a significant position in the formation and development of specific postmodern theories. On the other hand, interactive art, as a progressive and innovative art form, presents a new definition of the author, the audience, personal experiences, and the process of artistic creation. This article aims to introduce and examine the relationship between the polyphonic approach and interactive art, seeking to answer the following question: «On what theoretical foundations is Bakhtin’s theory of polyphony based, and how can it be employed as a framework for the analysis of interactive art?»Research Method: This study is fundamental and employs a descriptive–analytical approach based on library research. The analytical framework is derived from Bakhtin’s theory of polyphony, and the case study is conducted on three interactive installations.Findings: Through its synchronization with technology, interactive art generates new experiences for the artistic audience. Based on the audience’s participatory and interventionist actions, interactive artworks can be categorized into two types: First, works that are formed through the physical actions of the audience; second, works that are founded upon the audience’s mental and sensory ideas.Conclusion: The results indicate that interactive art, due to its inherent characteristics, provides a suitable ground for the coexistence and manifestation of the diverse ideas of audiences who engage with the artwork and accompany the original author in its process and completion. Therefore, most interactive artworks transform into polyphonic works that reflect the ideas of the interacting audiences as secondary creators of the piece.

Keywords:

Postmodernism , Polyphonic Approach , Interactive Art , Audience Experience