Since 1987, the Electronic Theatre has compiled a large number of submissions from all over the world, providing an up-to-the-minute survey of animation art in the context of technology and society. It impressively illustrates the dynamic development of artistic computer animation over the past three decades as well as the expansive growth of various fringe areas. A glance at the works selected this year shows a broad range, from animation in the context of performance and installations to real-time animation and multifaceted, subject-based discussions. The program offers humorous and ingenious commentaries on social media, online dating, data mining, and surveillance capitalism, as well as infographics and data visualizations. A film experiment breaks down a border town into its individual parts, a photographic exploration opens new perspectives on the city of Hong Kong, and another experimental film examines the collective memory of soccer fans. Two Honorary Mentions this year went to VR projects, including a surreal experience based on the childhood memory of the director in Taiwan from around 1970. In an installation with a collage of hundreds of video clips taken in subway stations, the visitor is placed in the role of a voyeur in order to reflect on the cycle of everyday life. This year’s Golden Nica winner combines live performance, sculpture, theater, and animation: the artist places her body at the center of the projection and invites us to reflect on the consequences of material affluence and climate change.
Featuring:
Infinitely Yours
Creation, animation, and performance: Miwa Matreyek (US)
All Music: Morgan Sorne (US)
Prix Ars Electronica 2020 / Golden Nica
Average Happiness, Maja Gehrig (CH)
Prix Ars Electronica 2020 / Award of Distinction
Bab Sebta, Randa Maroufi (FR)
Prix Ars Electronica 2020 / Award of Distinction
Pile, Toby Auberg (SE)
Prix Ars Electronica 2020 / Honorary Mention
Recursive Truth, Rachel Rossin (US)
Prix Ars Electronica 2020 / Honorary Mention
Serial Parallels, Max Hattler (DE/HK)
Prix Ars Electronica 2020 / Honorary Mention
The Entropy Gardens (VR screen capture), DEPART (AT)
Prix Ars Electronica 2020 / Honorary Mention
Pulsión, Pedro Casavecchia (AR)
Prix Ars Electronica 2020 / Honorary Mention
This Means More, Nicolas Gourault (FR)
Prix Ars Electronica 2020 / Honorary Mention
#21xoxo, Sine Özbilge (TR), Imge Özbilge (TR)
Prix Ars Electronica 2020 / Honorary Mention
Underground Circuit, Yuge Zhou 周雨歌 (CN)
Prix Ars Electronica 2020 / Honorary Mention
The Sky is on Fire, Emmanuel van der Auwera (BE)
Prix Ars Electronica 2020 / Honorary Mention
Squarepusher / Terminal Slam, Daito Manabe (JP), Kenichiro Shimizu (JP)
Prix Ars Electronica 2020 / Honorary Mention
Bodyless (excerpt of VR screen capture), Hsin-Chien Huang (TW)
Sponsored by Taiwan Creative Content Agency
Prix Ars Electronica 2020 / Honorary Mention
Toomas Beneath the Valley of the Wild Wolves, Chintis Lundgren (EE)
Prix Ars Electronica 2020 / Honorary Mention
Average Happiness, Maja Gehrig (CH)
Underground Circuit, Yuge Zhou 周雨歌 (CN), © Rory O’Driscoll
Infinitely Yours, Miwa Matreyek (US), © Keida Mascaro
credit: DEPART (AT)
Randa Maroufi (FR)
