Distorted constellations: Interdisciplinary perspectives on understanding reality and the self

Ebizie, Nwando; Cropper, Simon; Ochu, Erinma; Scott, Sophie; Pulleda, Francesca

Abstract

Visual Snow is a neurological condition that is experienced as an ‘augmented’ reality of auras, glowing lines, depression, anxiety and depersonalisation (Solly et al. 2021). Whilst Visual Snow produces a collection of different symptoms, it is clinically recognised (Puledda et al. 2020). A commonly experienced visual symptom is described as the 'persistent effect of television “snow”', and was first described in the literature in 1995 (Liu et al. 1995).

Distorted Constellations is an immersive, sensory, labyrinthine environment and playful experience of an augmented reality interpretation of artist, Nwando Ebizie's unique perception of the
world. The exhibit draws on Visual Snow as experienced by the artist and informed by interdisciplinary research, including cognitive science. The exhibition, public events and recent inbuilt psychological study, embrace the subjective nature of perception and highlight a role for augmented reality art experiences as cognitive science experiments in public settings.

This contributed symposia will stimulate debate and questions arising across the intersections of art, neurology, cognitive neuroscience and public participation to leverage understanding of reality and the self through interdisciplinary considerations of cognitive difference. The role of reflexive collaborative inquiry and active public participation in emergent research is considered as a way to offer socially responsible scientific tools (Chilvers & Kearnes, 2020) to the cognitive science community and society.

Symposia is available to view here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qv1gnETHm8

• Presentation Conference Type: Conference Paper (published)
• Conference Name: Cognitive Diversity: CogSci 2022
• Start Date: Jul 27, 2022
• End Date: Jul 29, 2022
• Acceptance Date: Feb 15, 2023
• Online Publication Date: Jul 28, 2022
• Publication Date: May 11, 2022
• Deposit Date: Mar 15, 2023
• Publicly Available Date: Apr 4, 2023
• Volume: 44
• Pages: 1-2
• Keywords: Art and cognition; Augmented Reality; Hallucination; Neurology; Perception; Psychology; Visual Snow; Cognitive Neuroscience; Immersive Experiences
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/10554000
• Publisher URL: https://escholarship.org/uc/item/8gv5v5f3#main
• Related Public URLs: https://cognitivesciencesociety.org/cogsci-2022/