This dissertation views Es Devlin’s work as representative of a crucial transformation in contemporary art: the shift from spectatorship to active co-creation. Devlin’s immersive installations reposition the audience as active co-creators, broadening Barthes’ notion of open interpretation and the death of authorial control. Moreover, her use of AI, digital simulation and theatrical spectacle reflects Baudrillard’s vision of a hyperreal world, where reality is indistinguishable from media-generated simulation. The evolution of audience participation in her work mirrors the broader shift in contemporary art-music installations, where technology, interactivity and sensory immersion shape meaning-making engaging directly with Karen Barad’s notion of the posthuman. The dissertation argues that Devlin’s practice raises pressing questions about the lifespan and remediation of digital experiences, the hyperreal conditions of contemporary art and the future of technologically mediated human interaction. The dissertation adds to the ongoing discourse on digital art and performance and contributes to wider discussions of immersive art, digital identity and the evolving role of audiences in meaning-making.
