A conventional artwork is like a monument. Therefore it seems necessary to attempt an evaluation of the esthetic modalities and formal qualities of various types of interactive work, by reference to some well known examples. Two preliminary distinctions must be made. These works are usually built on or for desktop computers. Another genre of work, inspired by robotics, complexity theory and artificial life models, utilises discrete or networked multiple processors, and are usually installations or performances with mobile components.
Many interactive artworks explore the relationship between real space and virtual space.
The entire phenomenon of VR may be seen this way, as a metaphorisation of digital data'space' into the visual. Thankfully, VR's fifteen minutes of fame came and went. Now we look back in wonder at all the utopian brouhaha that was generated around what basically amounts to a viewing device. In these works physical movement in real space navigated the viewpoint through a superimposed virtual world. In legible city, speed of travel through the virtual world was controlled by peadlling a stationary bicycle.