Through our eyes, what we see and how we are effected is always indirect, processed by our mind, consciously and unconsciously, integrated and filtered with our own unique past experience. Below are some selected links, mostly from non-art sources, that may expand your thinking about visual imagination and human perception. This is a link to a review by two neuroscientists. They include a discussion of blindsight . Especially note the section titled Action without Seeing .
Experimental evidence supports the existence of two separate neurological vision systems.
While the one visual system functions with conscious awareness, the other functions entirely without any conscious awareness. Blindsight individuals are people who are blinded by physical brain damage and cannot consciously see, yet they still see unconsciously via some other undamaged brain mechanism. Hidden Mickeys Walt Disney Imagineers have hidden images of Mickey Mouse. Semi Subliminal World A well balanced review by a psychologist. I would appreciate any comments and suggestions.