"Art and Design": From the objects with an aesthetic function to Interaction design

One of the main aspects of contemporary art is the search for viewer's interactive inclusion within the space generated by the work. The higher the trend of the work of art to disappear, the more the viewer becomes part of the perceived space, becoming a user fully involved in the processes of recognition and perception of the work itself (See Marras & Mecacci, II, p. 159). This approach initiated by minimal art can be considered a forerunner of Interaction Design where the progressive dematerialization and disappearance of the object-product in favour of an increasingly elaborate and refined interface system «transforms interaction (and/or usability) into an aesthetic experience, engagement and emotional participation». (Ibid., P. 160) The use of Human Computer Interaction (HCI) from a purely cognitive level to a tangible, experiential and aesthetic one marks the change of horizon of these years. From traditional objects and artefacts, we have moved on to a system for the use of objects including those with an "aesthetic function" where design is considered as something increasingly becoming a fundamental tool in policies for the enhancement and innovative use of cultural and museum heritage. In this respect, neuro-aesthetics and, in general, neuroscience applied to design can constitute a further ground for comparison and exchange between art and design, transferring consolidated cognitive and strategic approaches to design and providing the opportunity to have a positive impact on people's lives through solutions that allow interaction with the "world of things" to be planned while stimulating cognitive and emotional aspects. Starting from the age-old art versus design debate, the essay reflects on some fundamental thematic nodes of the relationship between art and design to critically retrace the epochal and significant changes that the discipline of design is going through in this time.