Art for Innovation
Creative minds from all over the world, diverse manifestations of collaborations, artistic curiosity, and open innovation – we aim to inspire and are in turn continuously inspired. Our works at the Ars Electronica Futurelab are driven by creative exploration, combining Art Science Research and our Art Thinking method in fruitful teamwork. In this way, we create impactful prototypes and experiences for a broad audience.
How We Work:
Exploring the futures, immersive experiences, experiments with robotics and diverse living beings, artificial collectives, and creative AI are just some of the lab’s research fields.
Our Art Science Research domains are Futures Fluency, Negotiating Humanity, Imaginary Spaces, and Living Logic. Additionally, our Key Research dives deep into specific questions.
Futurelab’s Art Thinking method is an artistic mindset as well as a customizable process – to develop fresh concepts and tangible prototypes for any kind of future questions.
We continuously expand Art Thinking – from our Key Research on the topic to fruitful collaborations like Art Thinking Initiative, Art Thinking School, and Art Thinking Forum.
Future Impact Creation is an evolving approach to understand and shape the value and purpose of our work on an artistic, technological, and societal level.
Today’s rapidly changing world calls for a new approach to map impact that embraces uncertainty. We explore both intended and unexpected effects and reflect on how projects resonate beyond their initial scope.
We do Art Science Research because it dissolves creative boundaries and discipline-based thinking. It builds knowledge fluidity through openness to both art and science, paving the way for new and unexpected combinations. Guided by our very own Art Thinking method, impactful artworks, and creative questions thrust us to devise meaningful future questions and unique experiences that engage a broad audience.
The resulting projects are as diverse as our partners from all over the world: Ars Electronica Futurelab collaborates with organizations worldwide to inspire, envision, and develop experimental prototypes and experiences for the future of society. We place particular emphasis on designing with a lasting impact on the future, which is implemented in the lab as Future Impact Creation: With the help of this flexible framework, we observe how our work impacts individuals, society, our partners, and their institutions. This allows us to identify both intended and unexpected impacts of our work and reflect on how projects can have an effect beyond their intended goals.
Highlights
Consulting program to incorporate the method of Art Thinking into the management and R&D of companies, research institutions, and government organizations in Japan.
Research project to explore the future of creativity considering all aspects of ink: from painting with drones and microorganisms to ink generated by our mind and body.
Worldwide unique venue for teaching anatomy by the Ars Electronica Futurelab. Lecturers and students dive into larger than life, photorealistic 3D images in quadruple 4K projection.
AI, robotics, programming, and more: This mobile learning platform for primary schools in rural areas offers children a hands-on learning experience.
Virtual reality application bringing Max Reinhardt’s 1930s production of “Faust” back to life by recreating the stage design of the original production – the Fauststadt.
Research on how new design approaches that utilize advances in scientific origami, computation, robotics, and material experimentation can influence the functional aesthetic of oribotics.
