NOUS

20 years of mediating art, technology, and society at Interface Cultures (IC)

The Interface Cultures department turns twenty this year! Now, it is a common trait of any anniversary, and particularly ones that conclude a decade, to make you reflect on the past, present, and future. It is similar with an institution, anniversaries cause us to marvel at how many people have contributed to its evolution, and how many more will do so in times to come.

NOUS, the title of this year’s IC exhibition at Ars Electronica, picks up on this spirit of introspection, asking what IC has been, what it is, and what it will become. NOUS. French for “we”. But what is this “we” exactly? Is it something that keeps changing? It would be tempting to say yes. After all, in the field of digital art, which reacts quickly to the advances in technology, nothing stays the same for long. Fancy an example? Since the official initiation of IC in 2004, the density of transistors on computer processors has increased from 1.4 to 144 million – per square millimeter! And let’s not get us started on the whole AI thing. But there is more to it. We like to think that IC encompasses a definitive stance and creative approach, rooted in addressing the complexities of technology with artistic curiosity. NOUS does not stay within the confines of the department. It is open and collaborative, characterized by plurality of thought and a willingness to learn new things. In this sense all the artworks in this IC exhibition share the same DNA with works in previous years, reflecting the continuity of the IC stance. At the same time, students’ highly personal and individual artistic explorations, their manifold interests and innovation are manifested and realized in an ever-shifting technological framework.

One layer deeper, NOUS also represents philosophical concepts from antiquity used to grapple with the nature of reality and cognition, fundamental questions of how we are able to understand, recognize, and think. These questions are never entirely answered and are revisited to this day with the epistemological tools at hand. Knowledge and technology changes, but some questions always remain. But for sure there are many styles in trying to understand and make sense of the world. Just as Ars Electronica has done so brilliantly since its founding, IC seeks to do so by mediating art, technology, and society. Together, we will continue on this path through this tumultuous time we call the digital age.

(Very) Neural System

(Very) Neural System delves into the intricate dynamics of identity construction in the digital age. Harnessing the power of AI, a hyper-realistic emulation of the artist’s persona emerges as an amalgamation of seemingly authentic features collected from major companies.
4everfeed

Once Alessia_3K, now the face of an AI-powered video ad, scrolls her way through self-staged caricatures and CGI effects for the era of mass entertainment. The artist blends fiction, the lexicon of online performances, and the generative paradigm to stage ads scripted by TikTok’s AI assistant.
Blue Danube

The artist’s brainwaves, used as input for the visual output, bring the project to life. Through a data visualization and resolution of mental health issues (depression and PTSD), the artist gives space to numbers and data collection to catalyze thoughts as a time factor.
City Culinary Journey

This is a microwave-based interaction experience where you can taste the signature dishes of a city and listen to its stories. Set the city parameters in the tangible microwave, choose the ingredients, and wait for the AI to find the prepared dishes.
Création Nocturne

A mystical ceremony is conducted to honor and nurture a rare species, Création, blooming for just a single night. Création Nocturne is a participatory performance that invites visitors to study and reflect on the causes of existential terror-induced insomnia through collective meditation.
EchoCore

The human heartbeat pulsates as an echo of our innermost feelings and longings. In EchoCore, this essence comes to life through illuminated and malleable soft spheres, awaiting the touch of the viewer. Through touch, the heartbeat is imprinted, setting the spheres in motion.
Echoes of the past

Echoes of the past is an interactive installation that collects, records, organizes, and fuses the memories of the audience together. Visitors are invited to contribute by talking about their pleasant childhood memories, which are then presented as a collection.
Ghosts

Ghosts is an interactive installation that uses sensors and robotic arms to create a dynamic, playful space. It challenges the expected behavior of machines, sometimes responding to users, sometimes not, creating confusion and mistrust. It represents the glitches and distractions of everyday life and aims to make machine interaction more human.
GODSPEED

Godspeed explores the Doppler effect as a compositional tool using a drone equipped with speakers to create real-time harmonic shifts. This acoustic performance is being tested through the support of qujOchÖ in the southern harbor district near the former Quelle department store, the LINZ AG sports field, and the Hello Yellow Velodrome.
I am, We are

How do you perceive yourself, and how do we see ourselves? I am, We are is an interactive installation with two sections, “I am” and “We are.” In “I am,” users complete the sentence starting with “I am…”. AI analyzes and visualizes these responses, assigning emotional scores.
io

io (in/out) is a term used for the interface of signals or data received or sent by a system. It can also be interpreted as inside and outside. This device stands at the point where those two meanings dissolve into each other. An artificial auditory environment is generated inside the helmet from the video stream…
Leonardo LASER Linz

Scientific revolutions lie not only in discoveries but also in changes in their practices, goals, protocols, and evaluation methods. The laboratory, originally dedicated to scientific work and characterized by rigor and dedication to experimentation, now resonates across disciplines, promoting creativity and collaboration. Through our guests’ experiences and songs, we will explore the laboratory as a…
New Cartographies

New Cartographies explores the unseen landscapes of electromagnetic space. Transmitted images capture snapshots of this landscape at specific moments and locations, visually representing the dynamic electromagnetic spectrum. Variations in clarity and distortions reflect the flux of electronic activities, offering glimpses into our digital habits.
On the breathing wings of a horse

On the breathing wings of a horse is an interactive art installation that merges human breath with the essence of equine movement. The horse’s gait captures a unique breath, intertwining with the rhythm of nature. This project explores the symbiotic relationship between humans and horses.
Post-humanity Zoo

In 20xx, a deadly pandemic outbreak killed 60% of humanity. A disaster has led a group of zoologists and environmentalists to build a zoo as an archive of what capitalism/humans, which/who caused this pandemic, have done to our environment.
Self – eluded

Perception shapes our reality, a reality in which we seek understanding, yet fear the feeling of being exposed. Can we truly grasp the essence of others? What happens to our understanding of reality when perception itself becomes elusive?
Shock Value (or Cadavre Exquis)

Shock Value is an exploration of how image generation positions itself in the stratified issue of digital violence and gore voyeurism, and how the medium employed for its production – artificial intelligence– influences its impact and consumption.
Super Tapestry

Super Tapestry is an ambient proposal that blends into an experimental ensemble: live coding, a phase vocoder in Max, and guitar with effects pedals. The project is a collaboration between musician Lukas Romero (Niu Toronja) and visual artist Sule Suarez.
Symphony of a Koi

This project is meant to help hospital patients feel calm and more at ease. It features a concrete audiovisual environment with intuitive, game-like interactions, allowing patients to momentarily escape the mental challenges and stress of their situation.
Tangible AI

Tangible AI is an interactive installation that explores the evolving relationship between artificial intelligence and human emotion. It utilizes AI to detect and interpret the emotions of the audience through facial expression.
Technosymbiosis

The project delves into the relationship between users and algorithmically-driven social media, designed for personalized content selection. It presents this relationship as a symbiotic connection where both influence each other.
The AI is on vacation

The AI is on Vacation humorously subverts the initial promise of a helpful assistant by presenting an AI that is taking a break. Set against a sandy, beach-like backdrop, this GPT-based model playfully dodges typical utility-driven responses, offering evasive replies that challenge the expected functions of such advanced tools.
The Scream of Music

The Scream of Music is an innovative audio installation in a public space that reinterprets national identity, communication, and borders. An iconic image from The Sound of Music, associated with Austria, is transformed into yodeling music and transmitted across the Danube in Linz using an LRAD (long range acoustic device) loudspeaker.
Through Other’s Eyes

Through Other’s Eyes delves into the subjective nature of perception through an interactive video installation. Videos of everyday life in Linz are fragmented into an interactive collage of human, animal, and computer vision.
What is it like (to be)?

Have you ever dreamt of being a bat? What is it like (to be)? is an immersive experience that delves into the individual’s relationship with their environment and senses using echolocation. The artwork invites the viewer to take on a new role of a creature locating itself by emitting sound, while others observe the newly…