Immersione radicale. Laguna e lacune della percezione

The article explores the concept of radical immersion beginning with an analysis of Giandomenico Tiepolo’s 1791 fresco, Il Mondo Novo, and of a Panstoscopio, an optical device that immerses viewers in detailed, faraway landscapes. It highlights the cultural and psychological implications of this device, positioning Venice as a prime example of a city designed for sensory immersion. Drawing connections to modern technologies like Virtual Reality, it illustrates how both historical and contemporary immersive experiences envelope the viewer in a separate, perceptual reality. The water imagery in Tiepolo’s fresco becomes a metaphor for both the literal and symbolic immersion experienced in a city deeply connected to its aquatic environment. Further, the article discusses the emergence of Venice Immersive, a showcase of Extended Reality works. Ultimately, it argues that immersion serves as a radical act of sensory and cognitive transformation, blurring the lines between the real and the virtual, the human and the non-human, according to Richard Grusin’s notion of radical mediation. By tracing the roots of immersive media back to Venice’s physical and cultural landscape, the article suggests that the city embodies a radical model of sensory engagement that anticipates the modern, digital immersive experiences of today.