Pervasive and interactive technologies, such as virtual reality (VR) media environments, mark a significant advancement in how humans interact with their surroundings. These technologies have the potential to transform and enhance the real world, offering new ways for people to engage with their environment. Unlike traditional art forms, such as paintings, where the audience is often passive or semi-passive, VR media allows users to actively participate and influence the experience. In traditional art, the audience can only partially connect with the work through emotions evoked by colors and forms, lacking the ability to interact bidirectionally. In contrast, VR media enables users to immerse themselves in the artwork, merging their personal experiences and emotions with the visual elements of the piece. This creates a shared connection and allows users to complete the artwork from their own perspective.

A key factor in this enhanced interaction is the sense of presence, a concept introduced by Minsky (1980), which refers to the user's perception of being physically present in a mediated space. This sense of presence is created through VR technologies and has become a central focus in VR research. It enhances user engagement, interaction, and understanding of artistic works by making the experience more immersive and realistic. Immersion in VR environments leads to a loss of awareness of time and the real world, allowing users to feel fully present in the virtual space. This immersion, combined with interaction and engagement, improves the audience's comprehension and appreciation of the artistic content.

For example, in traditional visual arts like painting, the audience's interaction is limited to emotional responses. In VR, however, users can enter the artwork, interact with it, and integrate their personal experiences, creating a deeper connection. This not only facilitates interaction but also fosters a sense of unity with the artwork, referred to as presence. VR media's ability to create changes, transmit messages, and generate immersive experiences makes it a powerful tool for enhancing the understanding and interaction with artistic works. The central question of this research is: How does presence and interaction in VR media lead to a more effective understanding of artistic works?

This research explores the role of presence in enhancing the interaction between users and Gustav Klimt's The Kiss in a VR environment. By adopting an interdisciplinary approach that bridges art and computer science, the study aims to uncover how users can interact more effectively with artistic works in VR media. The research is theoretical and uses a descriptive-analytical method. After explaining the theory of presence and reviewing related studies, it examines the characteristics of VR media environments and the factors that influence user interaction. Finally, it analyzes The Kiss, recreated in VR by artist Stella Tze, to understand how presence and interaction enhance the user's experience.

Gustav Klimt, a renowned Viennese artist associated with Symbolism and Art Nouveau, serves as the focal point for this study. Data for the research were gathered from books, journals, documents, images, and reputable online sources, focusing on artistic works relevant to the topic.

The findings highlight that the sense of presence in VR environments is crucial for user engagement and learning. Factors such as the quality of VR tools (e.g., headsets, audio systems, stereoscopic images) and user characteristics (e.g., age, gender, prior experience) significantly influence the effectiveness of presence and interaction. Achieving presence should be the primary goal in designing VR spaces, as it enhances user interaction, engagement, and realism. Without a strong sense of presence, users cannot fully interact with the environment or the artistic work, preventing meaningful engagement.

VR environments, supported by tools like Tilt Brush, can be used to present and create artistic works, making the user's sense of presence essential. Users must exhibit behaviors or knowledge that contribute to the creation or completion of the artwork, enabling them to transfer skills learned in VR to real-world contexts. VR can serve as a tool for entertainment, creativity, learning, education, therapy, and the presentation of artistic works in museums and galleries, which are often underutilized due to distance, cost, or lack of dynamism. Additionally, VR has the potential to break down barriers in art by combining various art forms, such as sculpture, painting, architecture, and design, allowing users to create or recreate artistic works without physical limitations.

In conclusion, this research emphasizes the importance of presence in VR media environments for enhancing user interaction with artistic works. Future studies should explore ways to improve immersion, personalize experiences, and make VR art more accessible, ensuring that these technologies continue to transform how we engage with and understand art.