KIDS
Michael Frei (CH), Mario von Rickenbach (CH) / Playables

Where does the individual end and the group begin? Who is steering the crowd? What if it is heading in the wrong direction? In the interactive installation KIDS the visitors can control the behavior of the masses. The characters in a crowd behave much like matter: They attract and repel, lead and follow, grow and shrink, align and separate. They are purely defined by how they relate to one other – without giving them distinguishable features.

Expert Tour: Prix Ars Electronica: Life’s intelligence, beyond human cognition
Jens Hauser (DE/FR/DK)

Prix Ars Electronica’s new category “Artificial Intelligence & Life Art” sparks discussions about the links between the largely ambiguous notions of “intelligence” and “aliveness.” Jury member, curator, and media theoretician Jens Hauser will reveal the criteria of the jury process and present selected positions out of the 15 award-winning art works.

Electronic Theatre

The program shows the prize-winning works selected by the jury and showcases current productions from an artistic, substantial, cultural, and cutting-edge technological perspective.

Undershoot, sensitive data: Cristiano
Cindy Coutant (FR)

In Undershoot, sensitive data: Cristiano, soccer star Cristian Ronaldo is the center of attention. Using text commands, Cindy Coutant interacts with a virtual Ronaldo. She remotely feeds the character (input), who then acts and transforms the submitted text (output). With this supposedly interactive project, the artist addresses the deeply human need to feel connected to someone with all our senses – be it real or just virtual.

Manic VR
Kalina Bertin (CA), Sandra Rodriguez (CA), Nicolas S. Roy (CA), Fred Casia (CA)

ManicVR is an impressive narrative about the complex world of people with bipolar disorder. The two siblings Felicia and François Bertin are themselves affected by the mental illness. They have been using the voicemail of their sister, filmmaker Kalina Bertin, as a personal diary for three years now.

Sky Brought Down
Åsa Stjerna (SE)

Åsa Stjerna’s site-specific work was developed as a permanent sound installation for the University Hospital in Gothenburg, Sweden. Even though it doesn’t demand a great deal of attention of its audience, Sky Brought Down generously soothes and helps balance the hospital sounds, without disturbing the fragile balance of an everyday work space. A weather station on the roof of the hospital forwards weather data in real time to the sound installation.

Prix Forum

One of the absolute highlights of every Ars Electronica is the opportunity to meet Prix Ars Electronica prize-winners and to attend Prix forums to hear the artists elaborate on their oeuvre and current work. Moderated by Prix Ars Electronica jurors, these discussions provide fascinating insights into this year’s categories: Computer Animation, Digital Musics & Sound Art and Artificial Intelligence & Life Art.

CyberArts

Experience digital arts! CyberArts presents the most outstanding entries from the Prix Ars Electronica, the international competition of computer art now in its 20th year, at the OK Center of Contemporary Art.

Prix Forum III – Artificial Intelligence & Life Art

SAT 7.9. | 12:30 – 14:00

Prix Forum II – Digital Musics & Sound Art

SAT 7.9. | 11:00 – 12:00