Immersive Technologies Impact on Art Perception in the Context of Contemporary Art Transformation: Culturological Aspects of Research

The aim of the article is to study the influence of immersive technologies on art perception in the context of transformations of the contemporary art market. The research results indicate that works of art created with immersive technologies are seen as a promising direction for the development of the art market due to their advantages (levelling the distance between the artist and the audience, preservation of the art market during the global pandemic) and limitations (lack of criteria for conforming the originality of the work of art, etc.). The role of immersive technologies is examined through the prism of creation, consumption, regulation, and distribution of works of art; their innovative ways of presentation in galleries, museums, art fairs, and biennials are confirmed. Analysis of recent exhibitions in leading museums and galleries (Alienarium 5, 3x3x6, ULTRAMARIN — An Immersive Exhibition, Ukraine: Land of the Brave, The Immersive World of Taras Shevchenko, etc.) and auctions (Sotheby’s, Christie’s) showed that immersion effect becomes an important factor in the transformation of art perception. Auction houses and galleries have started to include captivating artworks in their events to attract millennials as a new group of collectors and stimulate new sales. The scientific novelty of the research consists in studying the impact of immersive technologies on art perception and the transformation of the art market, in particular, on the formation of a new cultural model of the functioning of works of art caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusions. The research shows that immersive technologies that provide artists with new opportunities, expand cultural experiences, and update classical works of art, have an impact on art perception. It is determined that art exhibitions with an immersive effect have the potential to transform the sphere of culture and art by attracting new collectors and forming a new ecosystem of art functioning that takes into account the economic and symbolic aspects of the art market.