History Night view of the Center Ars Electronica began with its first festival in September 1979. Its founders were Hannes Leopoldseder, Hubert Bognermayr, Herbert W. Franke, and Ulrich Rützel. The festival was held biennially at first, and annually since 1986. The Prix Ars Electronica was inaugurated in 1987 and has been awarded every year since then. Ars Electronica Linz GmbH was incorporated as a limited company in 1995. The Ars Electronica Center, together with the Futurelab, opened in 1996, and was remodelled in 2009. Museum exhibits The top of the AEC is called the " Sky Media Loft " , which is mainly used as a coffee house or bar of the museum. It can also be rented out for meetings or events. The bar has occasionally been used as the studio for the Newscast of the local TV branch of the Austrian national TV organization ORF. The speciality of the " Sky Media Loft " is the marvellous view over the Nibelungenbrücke and the main place of Linz at the other side of the Danube which functions as background of the Newscasts . The second floor is also the floor where people can interact with exhibits. There are Musicbottles containing different types of music or Pingpongplus which is a table tennis game on a desk with virtual water on its surface. The first floor has displays about the world that had been hidden from our eyes. In the "Hidden Worlds" various machines are translating voice and words into virtual symbols or colours and everyday life articles can be moved on a screen if they are touched. The entrance or the so-called "Login Gateway" of the museum is on the ground floor and leads the newcomer directly to the Telegarden, where a robot is looking after a flower patch. Every ticket is provided with a bar code that gives information about the time the visitor entered the museum. After the visit, the ticket can be put into a computer near the Exit and it gives statistic information about the things that happened in the world during the span of the stay in the AEC. The List that is printed out gives information about how many people died or were born during that time or how many accidents have been caused by drunken drivers. The last floor is called "Virtual Reality " and it can be found in the basement of the building. The CAVE is another attraction of the museum. The cube with 3 meters side length is used as a screen to project the virtual world. There are always groups of about 10 that dive into a world where physical laws do not have any meaning. Additionally, the 3D spectacles give the impression of a bodyful environment. Museum 2009–present The new Ars Electronica Center, which was designed by Treusch architecture ZT GmbH, opened its doors on 2 January 2009 after roughly two years of construction work and an approximate cost of 30 million Euros . It now has 3000 square meters for exhibitions, 100m2 for research and development, 400m2 for workshops and conferences, 650m2 for catering and another 1000m2 square meters of public space for various types of events , e. g. Red Bull Upside Down on 12 February 2010. thumbnail|Ars Electronica Center in Linz, Austria is an ESO Outreach Partner Organisation . The new AEC consists of the original building, a new "twin-tower", the main exhibition hall called "Main Gallery " and the new space for the Ars Electronica Futurelab. The whole building is covered with a 5000 square meter glass skin that consists of 1100 glass panels. Each panel is equipped with an LED Bar that allows it to change its color. Therefore, the whole building acts as a giant display. Artists can create their own visualisations which will be shown on various occasions, especially during the Ars Electronica Festival. Main Gallery  Main Gallery with approximately 1000 square meters houses the main exhibition called " New Views of Humankind " , which focuses on topics like biotechnology, robotics, rapid prototyping and the human body. It is separated into the following four so-called " Labs ": Brain-Lab : this area focuses on the human brain, perception and advances in medicine. Bio-Lab : in this lab, the focus lies on biotechnology and its applications. Fab-Lab : this lab. deals with new possibilities offered by 3D printers and rapid prototyping. Robo-Lab : this lab. deals with robotica as well as different prothetic systems. Geo City Geo City focuses on global developments caused by humankind, like growth in population and the extraction of natural resources. Those global developments are connected with possible local reactions, which is visualized in an interactive City Information System called Sim-Linz. Artists, Creators, Engineers This is the area for temporary exhibitions consisting of the first and second floor of the original building and focuses on the interdisciplinary aspects of Ars Electronica and its contributors. Detailed information about current and future exhibitions can be found at the official web site. Deep Space The Deep Space is a multifunctional presentation room that offers a wide range of possibilities. It consists of two walls (front and floor) with dimensions of 16 : 9 meters which serve as screens for 8 Galaxy NH-12 projectors by Barco. The range of projects ranges from high-resolution videos to scientific (3D) visualisations like a flight out from the solar system to the whole known universe and artistic projects. Dates of special events involving Deep Space presentations can be found at the official web site. The annual Ars Electronica festival is a gathering of artists, scientists and technologists, intended as "a setting for experimentation, evaluation and reinvention". The festival has always exerted a public presence in Linz, mounting large-scale open-air projects and holding lectures, discussions and workshops in a wide range of public venues. Each year the festival is devoted to a specific theme. The festival in 2014, from 4–8 September, had as its theme "C... What it Takes to Change", i.e. ways in which social change and innovation can be promoted. It attracted 579 participants and about 85,000 visitors.Ars Electronica website, “ Ars Electronica 2014 ” Device art "Außer Kontrolle" (Out of Control), exhibit at the center during Ars Electronica 2012 A form of concept art, Device Art has been described as " ... a rebellion of form, taking everyday objects and inverting them to tell you something different".Kerry Skyring, When technology takes over your life, turn your machine into the message, Deutsche Welle, 19 September 2014 Among the examples exhibited at the 2014 festival were: "Otamatone" – a musical instrument shaped like a musical note. "Food Simulator", in which a pressure sensor in the user's mouth simulates the sensation of chewing food. "Lenticular Bicycle" - an old fashioned bicycle with a screen carousel mounted above the handlebars, known as "Sustainable Cinema No. 2" and created by Scott Hessels. A robot that performs street begging, made from recycled computer parts, with a voice and robotic hands. "Touchy", a "human camera", devised by the Hong Kong-based artist Eric Suiss. Smart Atoms (SPAXELS ) A version called "Smart atoms: spaxels version" was developed by Ars Electronica Futurelab and shown at the 2014 festival. The Prix was first awarded in 1987, and there have been several changes in the categories since then. In 2014, there were 2,703 entries from 77 countries. All entries remain on display in an online archive, the Prix Ars Electronica Showcase, containing over 55,000 items. Award categories Awards of the "Golden Nica " (worth 10,000 euros), " Awards of Distinction ", and "Honorary Mentions " are made in the following categories: Computer animation / Film / VFX (First presented in 1987) U19 Create Your World (First presented in 1998) Visionary Pioneers of Media Art Interactive Art To be awarded biennially from 2014. (First presented in 1990) Digital Music & Sound Art Hybrid Art (First presented in 2007) Digital Communities (First presented in 2004) Artificial Intelligence & Life Art (First presented in 2019) Note: There is also provision for conferences, workshops, and R&D. The center was enhanced and expanded in 2009, coincident with Linz's term as European Capital of Culture. It is the most-visited museum in Linz.Ars Electronica website, “ Ars Electronica Center ” SPAXELS The Spaxels ("space pixels"Horst Hörtner, Matthew Gardiner, Roland Haring, Christopher Lindinger, Florian Berger. "Spaxels, Pixels in Space – A Novel Mode of Spatial Display" In: Proceedings of International Conference on Signal Processing and Multimedia Applications, SIGMAP 2012, SciTePress Digital Library) have been shown publicly as a world premiere in 2012 by Ars Electronica Futurelab. Spaxels are the singel elements that form a Drone display. Automatically controlled drones fitted with LEDs (= SPAXELS ), fly in formation to create apparent three-dimensional objects against the night sky.Smart atoms spaxels by Ars Electronica draw 3D images in the night sky, designboom, 23 September 2014Ryan Sager,  See Drones Draw Shapes in the Night Sky  , Time (magazine), 29 September 2014 Spaxel ref. wiktionary Comment Trent Nathaniel Grover has included an Appendix about Ars Electronica in his book " Dream of the Techno-Shaman " (2008).Trent Nathaniel Grover (2008), Dream of the Techno-Shaman, Appendix A ("Ars Electronica: Towards the Integration of Art, Technology, and Society"), pp. 53-68, ProQuest He describes the institute's activities as “ a unique platform for exploring, discussing, tracking, and analyzing the interrelation between art, technology, and society ” . Such work, he argues, affirms the place of the human being at the center of techno-cultural processes, as “ beneficiaries, victims, and, above all, creators and appliers of new technology ” . Noting that the rapid pace of technological innovation has profound implications for culture and society, he presents the role of Ars Electronica as working to integrate developments in technology with art and society to the benefit of all, and contrasts this perspective with the Modernist call for "art for art ’ s sake". External links Ars Electronica Sky Media Loft (March 2007) rejected competition entry for the new AEC Official Barco Site
History Night view of the center Ars Electronica began with its first festival in September 1979. Its founders were Hannes Leopoldseder, Hubert Bognermayr, Herbert W. Franke, and Ulrich Rützel. The festival was held biennially at first, and annually since 1986. The Prix Ars Electronica was inaugurated in 1987 and has been awarded every year since then. Ars Electronica Linz GmbH was incorporated as a limited company in 1995. The Ars Electronica Center, together with the Futurelab, opened in 1996, and was remodeled in 2009. Museum exhibits The top of the AEC is called the Sky Media Loft , which is mainly used as a coffee house or bar of the museum. It can also be rented out for meetings or events. The bar has occasionally been used as the studio for the newscast of the local TV branch of the Austrian national TV organization ORF. The specialty of the Sky Media Loft is the marvelous view over the Nibelungenbrücke and the main place of Linz at the other side of the Danube which functions as background of the newscasts . The second floor is where people can interact with exhibits. There are Musicbottles containing different types of music or Pingpongplus which is a table tennis game on a desk with virtual water on its surface. The first floor has displays about the world that had been hidden from our eyes. In the "Hidden Worlds" various machines are translating voice and words into virtual symbols or colors and everyday life articles can be moved on a screen if they are touched. The entrance or the so-called "Login Gateway" of the museum is on the ground floor and leads the newcomer directly to the Telegarden, where a robot is looking after a flower patch. Every ticket is provided with a bar code that gives information about the time the visitor entered the museum. After the visit, the ticket can be put into a computer near the exit and it gives statistic information about the things that happened in the world during the span of the stay in the AEC. The list that is printed out gives information about how many people died or were born during that time or how many accidents have been caused by drunken drivers. The last floor is called Virtual Reality and it can be found in the basement of the building. The CAVE is another attraction of the museum. The cube with 3 meters side length is used as a screen to project the virtual world. There are always groups of about 10 that dive into a world where physical laws do not have any meaning. Additionally, the 3D spectacles give the impression of a bodyful environment. Museum 2009–present The new Ars Electronica Center, which was designed by Treusch architecture ZT GmbH, opened its doors on 2 January 2009 after roughly two years of construction work and an approximate cost of 30 million euros . It now has 3000 square meters for exhibitions, 100 m2 for research and development, 400 m2 for workshops and conferences, 650 m2 for catering and another 1000 m2 of public space for various types of events . thumbnail|Ars Electronica Center in Linz, Austria is an ESO outreach partner organization . The new AEC consists of the original building, a new "twin-tower", the main exhibition hall called Main Gallery and the new space for the Ars Electronica Futurelab. The whole building is covered with a 5000-square-meter glass skin that consists of 1100 glass panels. Each panel is equipped with an LED bar that allows it to change its color. Therefore, the whole building acts as a giant display. Artists can create their own visualizations which will be shown on various occasions, especially during the Ars Electronica Festival. Main Gallery The Main Gallery with approximately 1000 square meters houses the main exhibition called New Views of Humankind , which focuses on topics like biotechnology, robotics, rapid prototyping and the human body. It is separated into the following four so-called " labs ": Brain-Lab focuses on the human brain, perception and advances in medicine. Bio-Lab focuses on biotechnology and its applications. Fab-Lab deals with new possibilities offered by 3D printers and rapid prototyping. Robo-Lab deals with robotica as well as different prothetic systems. Geo City Geo City focuses on global developments caused by humankind, like growth in population and the extraction of natural resources. Those global developments are connected with possible local reactions, which is visualized in an interactive city information system called Sim-Linz. Artists, Creators, Engineers This is the area for temporary exhibitions on the first and second floor of the original building and focuses on the interdisciplinary aspects of Ars Electronica and its contributors. Deep Space The Deep Space is a multifunctional presentation room that offers a wide range of possibilities. It consists of two walls (front and floor) with dimensions of 16 × 9 meters which serve as screens for eight Galaxy NH-12 projectors by Barco. The projects range from high-resolution videos to scientific (3D) visualizations like a flight out from the solar system to the whole known universe and artistic projects. The annual Ars Electronica Festival is a gathering of artists, scientists and technologists, intended as "a setting for experimentation, evaluation and reinvention". The festival has always exerted a public presence in Linz, mounting large-scale open-air projects and holding lectures, discussions and workshops in a wide range of public venues. Each year the festival is devoted to a specific theme. The festival in 2014, had as its theme "C... What it Takes to Change", i.e. ways in which social change and innovation can be promoted. It attracted 579 participants and about 85,000 visitors.Ars Electronica website, " Ars Electronica 2014 " Device art "Außer Kontrolle" (Out of Control), exhibit at the center during Ars Electronica 2012 A form of concept art, device art has been described as " a rebellion of form, taking everyday objects and inverting them to tell you something different".Kerry Skyring, When technology takes over your life, turn your machine into the message, Deutsche Welle, 19 September 2014 Among the examples exhibited at the 2014 festival were: "Otamatone" – a musical instrument shaped like a musical note. "Food Simulator", in which a pressure sensor in the user's mouth simulates the sensation of chewing food. "Lenticular Bicycle" - an old fashioned bicycle with a screen carousel mounted above the handlebars, known as "Sustainable Cinema No. 2" and created by Scott Hessels. A robot that performs street begging, made from recycled computer parts, with a voice and robotic hands. "Touchy", a "human camera", devised by the Hong Kong-based artist Eric Suiss. Smart atoms (spaxels ) A version called "Smart atoms: spaxels version" was developed by Ars Electronica Futurelab and shown at the 2014 festival. The prize was first awarded in 1987, and there have been several changes in the categories since then. In 2014, there were 2,703 entries from 77 countries. All entries remain on display in an online archive, the Prix Ars Electronica Showcase, containing over 55,000 items. Award categories Awards of the Golden Nica (worth 10,000 euros), Awards of Distinction , and Honorary Mentions are made in the following categories: Computer animation / Film / VFX (First presented in 1987) U19 Create Your World (First presented in 1998) Visionary Pioneers of Media Art Interactive ArtTo be awarded biennially from 2014. (First presented in 1990) Digital Music & Sound Art Hybrid Art (First presented in 2007) Digital Communities (First presented in 2004) Artificial Intelligence & Life Art (First presented in 2019) Note: There is also provision for conferences, workshops, and R&D. The center was enhanced and expanded in 2009, coincident with Linz's term as European Capital of Culture. It is the most-visited museum in Linz.Ars Electronica website, " Ars Electronica Center " Spaxels The spaxels ("space pixels"Horst Hörtner, Matthew Gardiner, Roland Haring, Christopher Lindinger, Florian Berger. "Spaxels, Pixels in Space – A Novel Mode of Spatial Display" In: Proceedings of International Conference on Signal Processing and Multimedia Applications, SIGMAP 2012, SciTePress Digital Library) have been shown publicly as a world premiere in 2012 by Ars Electronica Futurelab. Spaxels are the single elements that form a drone display. Automatically controlled drones fitted with LEDs (= spaxels ), fly in formation to create apparent three-dimensional objects against the night sky.Smart atoms spaxels by Ars Electronica draw 3D images in the night sky, designboom, 23 September 2014Ryan Sager, " See Drones Draw Shapes in the Night Sky ", Time , 29 September 2014 Spaxel ref. Wiktionary Comment Trent Nathaniel Grover has included an appendix about Ars Electronica in his book Dream of the Techno-Shaman (2008).Trent Nathaniel Grover (2008), Dream of the Techno-Shaman, Appendix A ("Ars Electronica: Towards the Integration of Art, Technology, and Society"), pp. 53-68, ProQuest He describes the institute's activities as " a unique platform for exploring, discussing, tracking, and analyzing the interrelation between art, technology, and society " . Such work, he argues, affirms the place of the human being at the center of techno-cultural processes, as " beneficiaries, victims, and, above all, creators and appliers of new technology " . Noting that the rapid pace of technological innovation has profound implications for culture and society, he presents the role of Ars Electronica as working to integrate developments in technology with art and society to the benefit of all, and contrasts this perspective with the Modernist call for "art for art ' s sake". External links Sky Media Loft (March 2007) Rejected competition entry for the new AEC Official Barco site
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