Prix Ars Electronica
Encyclopedia
The Prix Ars Electronica is one of the most important yearly prizes in the field of electronic
and interactive art
, computer animation
, digital culture and music. It has been awarded since 1987 by Ars Electronica
(Linz
, Austria
), one of the world's major centers for art and technology.
In 2005, the Golden Nica, the highest prize, was awarded in six categories: "Computer Animation/Visual Effects," "Digital Musics," "Interactive Art," "Net Vision," "Digital Communities" and the "u19" award for "freestyle computing." Each Golden Nica came with a prize of €
10,000, apart from the u19 category, where the prize was €
5,000. In each category, there are also Awards of Distinction and Honorary Mentions.
The Golden Nica is replica of the Greek Nike of Samothrace
. It is a handmade wooden statuette, plated with gold, so each trophy is unique: approximately 35 cm high, with a wingspan of about 20 cm, all on a pedestal. "Prix Ars Electronica" is a phrase composed of French, Latin and Spanish words, loosely translated as "Electronic Arts Prize."
New York artist and musician John Fekner
received honorary awards for Concrete People and The Last Days of Good and Evil in 1987 and 1988.
and sound art
through digital means. From 1987 to 1998 the category was known as "Computer music
." Two Golden Nicas were awarded in 1987, and none in 1990. There was no Computer Music category in 1991.
have been awarded since 1990. This category applies to many categories of works, including installations and performances, characterized by audience participation, virtual reality, multimedia and telecommunication.
. In 2001, the category became broader under the new name "Net Vision / Net Excellence", with rewards for innovation in the online medium.
two months before the main Ars Electronica ceremony) to celebrate the 25th birthday of Ars Electronica. Two Golden Nicas were awarded.
Electronic art
Electronic art is a form of art that makes use of electronic media or, more broadly, refers to technology and/or electronic media. It is related to information art, new media art, video art, digital art, interactive art, internet art, and electronic music...
and interactive art
Interactive art
Interactive art is a form of installation-based art that involves the spectator in a way that allows the art to achieve its purpose. Some installations achieve this by letting the observer or visitor "walk" in, on, and around them; Some others ask the artist to become part of the artwork.Works of...
, computer animation
Computer animation
Computer animation is the process used for generating animated images by using computer graphics. The more general term computer generated imagery encompasses both static scenes and dynamic images, while computer animation only refers to moving images....
, digital culture and music. It has been awarded since 1987 by Ars Electronica
Ars Electronica
Ars Electronica is an organization based in Linz, Austria, founded in 1979 around a festival for art, technology and society that was part of the International Bruckner Festival. Herbert W. Franke is one of its founders. It became its own festival and a yearly event in 1986. Its director until 1995...
(Linz
Linz
Linz is the third-largest city of Austria and capital of the state of Upper Austria . It is located in the north centre of Austria, approximately south of the Czech border, on both sides of the river Danube. The population of the city is , and that of the Greater Linz conurbation is about...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
), one of the world's major centers for art and technology.
In 2005, the Golden Nica, the highest prize, was awarded in six categories: "Computer Animation/Visual Effects," "Digital Musics," "Interactive Art," "Net Vision," "Digital Communities" and the "u19" award for "freestyle computing." Each Golden Nica came with a prize of €
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
10,000, apart from the u19 category, where the prize was €
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
5,000. In each category, there are also Awards of Distinction and Honorary Mentions.
The Golden Nica is replica of the Greek Nike of Samothrace
Winged Victory of Samothrace
The Winged Victory of Samothrace, also called the Nike of Samothrace, is a 2nd century BC marble sculpture of the Greek goddess Nike . Since 1884, it has been prominently displayed at the Louvre and is one of the most celebrated sculptures in the world.-Description:The Nike of Samothrace,...
. It is a handmade wooden statuette, plated with gold, so each trophy is unique: approximately 35 cm high, with a wingspan of about 20 cm, all on a pedestal. "Prix Ars Electronica" is a phrase composed of French, Latin and Spanish words, loosely translated as "Electronic Arts Prize."
Computer animation / film / vfx
The "Computer Graphics" category (1987–1994) was open to different kinds of computer images. The "Computer Animation" (1987–1997) was replaced by the current "Computer Animation/Visual Effects" category in 1998.New York artist and musician John Fekner
John Fekner
John Fekner is an innovative artist who created hundreds of environmental and conceptual outdoor works consisting of stenciled words, symbols, dates and icons spray painted in New York, Sweden, Canada, England and Germany in the 70s and 80s...
received honorary awards for Concrete People and The Last Days of Good and Evil in 1987 and 1988.
Computer Graphics
- 1987 "Figur10" by Brian Reffin SmithBrian Reffin SmithBrian Reffin Smith is a writer, artist and teacher born in Sudbury in the United Kingdom. Working with computers since the middle 1960s, he was a pioneer of computer-based conceptual art, with the aim of trying to resist technological determinism and "state of the art" technology which might...
, UK - 1988 "The Battle" by David SherwinDavid SherwinDavid Sherwin is a British screenwriter best known for his collaborations with director Lindsay Anderson and actor Malcolm McDowell on the films if.... , O Lucky Man! and Britannia Hospital .Sherwin attended Tonbridge School, a major British public school, which provided...
, US - 1989 "Gramophone" by Tamás WaliczkyTamás WaliczkyTamás Waliczky, born in 1959, in Budapest, Hungary, works as a media artist. He started out by creating cartoon films , whilst working as a painter, illustrator and photographer. He began working with computers in 1983...
, HU - 1990 "P-411-A" by Manfred MohrManfred MohrManfred Mohr is a digital art pioneer. He has lived and worked in New York since 1981.-Life & career:...
, Germany - 1991 "Having encountered Eve for the second time, Adam begins to speak" by Bill Woodard, US
- 1992 "RD Texture Buttons" by Michael Kass and Andrew WitkinAndrew WitkinAndrew P. Witkin was an American computer scientist who made major contributions in computer vision and computer graphics.-Career:...
, US - 1993 "Founders Series" by Michael Tolson, US
- 1994 "Jellylife / Jellycycle / Jelly Locomotion" by Michael Joaquin GreyMichael Joaquin GreyMichael Joaquin Grey is an American artist, inventor, educator, and toy designer based in New York City....
, US
Computer Animation
- 1987 "Luxo jr." by John LasseterJohn LasseterJohn Alan Lasseter is an American animator, director and the chief creative officer at Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios. He is also currently the Principal Creative Advisor for Walt Disney Imagineering....
, US - 1988 "Red's Dream" by John LasseterJohn LasseterJohn Alan Lasseter is an American animator, director and the chief creative officer at Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios. He is also currently the Principal Creative Advisor for Walt Disney Imagineering....
, US - 1989 "Broken Heart" by Joan Staveley, US
- 1990 "Footprint" by Mario Sasso and Nicola Sani, IT
- 1991 "Panspermia" by Karl SimsKarl SimsKarl Sims is a computer graphics artist and researcher, who is best known for using particle systems and artificial life in computer animation....
, US - 1992 "Liquid Selves / Primordial Dance" by Karl SimsKarl SimsKarl Sims is a computer graphics artist and researcher, who is best known for using particle systems and artificial life in computer animation....
, US - 1993 "Lakmé" by Pascal Roulin, BE
- 1994 "Jurassic Park" by Dennis MurenDennis MurenDennis Muren, A.S.C. is an American film special effects artist, most notable for his work on the films of Steven Spielberg, James Cameron and George Lucas. He has won eight Oscars for Best Visual Effects.-Early life:...
, Mark Dippé and Steve Williams, US/CA- "K.O. KID" by Marc CaroMarc CaroMarc Caro, born April 2, 1956, is a French filmmaker and cartoonist, best known for his co-directing projects with Jean-Pierre Jeunet. The two of them met at a film festival in 1974, and directed three short and two feature length films together....
, FI
- "K.O. KID" by Marc Caro
- 1995 "God's Little Monkey" by David AthertonDavid AthertonDavid Atherton OBE, is an English conductor.-Background:Atherton was born in Blackpool, Lancashire in a musical family. He was educated at Blackpool Grammar School. His father, Robert Atherton, was the Music Master at St Joseph's College, Blackpool and was also a conductor...
and Bob SabistonBob SabistonBob Sabiston is an American film art director, computer programmer, and creator of the Rotoshop software program for computer animation. Sabiston began developing software as a graduate researcher in the MIT Media Lab from 1986 to 1991...
, US - 1996 "Toy Story" by John LasseterJohn LasseterJohn Alan Lasseter is an American animator, director and the chief creative officer at Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios. He is also currently the Principal Creative Advisor for Walt Disney Imagineering....
, Lee UnkrichLee UnkrichLee Unkrich is an American director and film editor. He is a longtime member of the creative team at Pixar, where he started in 1994 as a film editor. He later began directing, first as co-director of Toy Story 2...
and Ralph EgglestonRalph EgglestonRalph Eggleston is an American animator, art director, storyboard artist and production designer at Pixar Animation Studios....
, US - 1997 "Dragonheart" by Scott SquiresScott SquiresScott Squires is a Visual Effects Supervisor and Director.His first film project was Close Encounters where he developed the Cloud Tank Effect....
, Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), US
Computer Animation/Visual Effects
- 1998 The Sitter by Liang-Yuan Wang, TW
- Titanic by Robert Legato and Digital DomainDigital DomainDigital Domain is a visual effects and animation company founded by film director James Cameron, Stan Winston and Scott Ross. It is based in Venice, Los Angeles, California...
, US
- Titanic by Robert Legato and Digital Domain
- 1999 Bunny by Chris WedgeChris WedgeChris Wedge is an American film director, best known for the films Ice Age and Robots.-Early life and career:Wedge was born in Binghamton, New York. He attended Fayetteville-Manlius High School, graduating in 1975...
, US- What Dreams May ComeWhat Dreams May ComeWhat Dreams May Come is a 1978 novel by Richard Matheson. The plot centers on Chris, a man who dies and goes to Heaven, but eventually descends into Hell to rescue his wife...
by Mass Illusions, POP, Digital DomainDigital DomainDigital Domain is a visual effects and animation company founded by film director James Cameron, Stan Winston and Scott Ross. It is based in Venice, Los Angeles, California...
, Vincent WardVincent WardVincent Ward, ONZM is a film director and screenwriter.-Biography:Vincent Ward was awarded an Order of New Zealand Merit in 2007 for his contribution to film making. He was born in Greytown, New Zealand. He was educated at St Patrick's College, Silverstream and trained as an artist at the...
, Stephen Simon and Barnet Bain, US
- What Dreams May Come
- 2000 Maly Milos by Jakub Pistecky, CA
- Maaz by Christian VolckmanChristian VolckmanChristian Volckman , a graduate of Ecole Supérieure d'Arts Graphiques in Paris, is a French painter, graphic designer, photographer, author and producer....
, FR
- Maaz by Christian Volckman
- 2001 Le Processus by Xavier de l’Hermuzičre and Philippe Grammaticopoulos, FR
- 2002 Monsters, Inc.Monsters, Inc.Monsters, Inc. is a 2001 American computer-animated film and the fourth feature-length film produced by Pixar Animation Studios. It was directed by Pete Docter, co-directed by Lee Unkrich and David Silverman, and written by Jill Culton, Peter Docter, Ralph Eggleston, Dan Gerson, Jeff Pidgeon, Rhett...
by Andrew StantonAndrew StantonAndrew Stanton is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, and occasional voice actor based at Pixar Animation Studios. His film work includes writing and directing Finding Nemo and WALL-E; both films earned him the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.-Life and career:Stanton was...
, Lee UnkrichLee UnkrichLee Unkrich is an American director and film editor. He is a longtime member of the creative team at Pixar, where he started in 1994 as a film editor. He later began directing, first as co-director of Toy Story 2...
, Pete Docter and David SilvermanDavid SilvermanDavid Silverman is an animator best known for directing numerous episodes of the animated TV series The Simpsons, as well as The Simpsons Movie...
, US - 2003 Tim Tom by Romain Segaud and Cristel Pougeoise, FR
- 2004 RyanRyan (film)Ryan is a 2004 animated documentary by Chris Landreth about the Canadian animator Ryan Larkin, who in later years lived on skid row in Montreal following a history of drug and alcohol abuse....
by Chris LandrethChris LandrethChris Landreth is an American animator working in Canada, best known for his work on the 2004 film, Ryan. He has made many CGI animated films since the mid-90s, including The End, Bingo, The Listener, Caustic Sky: A Portrait of Regional Acid Deposition, and Data Driven The Story Of Franz...
, US.- Distinction: Parenthèse from Francois Blondeau, Thibault Deloof, Jérémie Droulers, Christophe Stampe, France
- Distinction: Birthday Boy from Sejong Park, Australia
- 2005 Fallen Art by Tomek Baginski, Poland.
- Distinction: The IncrediblesThe IncrediblesThe Incredibles is a 2004 American computer-animated action-comedy superhero film about a family of superheroes who are forced to hide their powers. It was written and directed by Brad Bird, a former director and executive consultant of The Simpsons, and was produced by Pixar and distributed by...
from PixarPixarPixar Animation Studios, pronounced , is an American computer animation film studio based in Emeryville, California. The studio has earned 26 Academy Awards, seven Golden Globes, and three Grammy Awards, among many other awards and acknowledgments. Its films have made over $6.3 billion worldwide... - Distinction: City Paradise by Gaëlle Denis (UK), Passion Pictures (France)
- Distinction: The Incredibles
- 2006 458nm by Jan Bitzer, Ilija Brunck, Tom Weber, Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg, Germany.
- Distinction: Kein platz Für Gerold by Daniel NockeDaniel NockeDaniel Nocke is a German screenwriter for film and television, and a director of animated shorts. He frequently works with director Stefan Krohmer on live action projects. His films have been shown at German and American film festivals and his animations have been featured on the American public...
/ Studio Film Bilder, Germany - Distinction: Negadon, the monster from Mars, by Jun Awazu, Japan
- Distinction: Kein platz Für Gerold by Daniel Nocke
- 2007 "Codehunters" by Ben HibonBen HibonBen Hibon is a Swiss animation director. Hibon was born in Geneva, Switzerland where he completed studies in Fine Art. He moved to London in 1996 to study Graphic Design at the Central Saint Matins College of Art and Design, followed by a Masters Degree at the same school.Hibon created in-game...
, UK - 2008 Madame Tutli-PutliMadame Tutli-PutliMadame Tutli-Putli is a 2007 stop motion-animated short film by Montreal filmmakers Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski, collectively known as Clyde Henry Productions, and produced by the National Film Board of Canada...
by Chris Lavis, Maciek Szczerbowski. (Directors), Jason Walker (Special Visual Effects), National Film Board of CanadaNational Film Board of CanadaThe National Film Board of Canada is Canada's twelve-time Academy Award-winning public film producer and distributor. An agency of the Government of Canada, the NFB produces and distributes documentary, animation, alternative drama and digital media productions... - 2009 HA'AkiHA'AkiHA'Aki is a 2008 animated short by Iriz Pääbo, portraying the filmmaker's subjective look at ice hockey, utilizing a technique she describes as "animbits." The film's title is an unusual phonetic spelling of the word "hockey." HA'Aki received a Golden Nica at the Prix Ars Electronica, and two jury...
by Iriz Pääbo, National Film Board of CanadaNational Film Board of CanadaThe National Film Board of Canada is Canada's twelve-time Academy Award-winning public film producer and distributor. An agency of the Government of Canada, the NFB produces and distributes documentary, animation, alternative drama and digital media productions... - 2010 Nuit Blanche by Arev Manoukian (Director), Marc-André Gray (Visual Effects Artist), National Film Board of CanadaNational Film Board of CanadaThe National Film Board of Canada is Canada's twelve-time Academy Award-winning public film producer and distributor. An agency of the Government of Canada, the NFB produces and distributes documentary, animation, alternative drama and digital media productions...
- 2011 Metachaos by Alessandro Bavari (IT)
Digital Music
This category is for those making electronic musicElectronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
and sound art
Sound art
Sound art is a diverse group of art practices that considers wide notions of sound, listening and hearing as its predominant focus. There are often distinct relationships forged between the visual and aural domains of art and perception by sound artists....
through digital means. From 1987 to 1998 the category was known as "Computer music
Computer music
Computer music is a term that was originally used within academia to describe a field of study relating to the applications of computing technology in music composition; particularly that stemming from the Western art music tradition...
." Two Golden Nicas were awarded in 1987, and none in 1990. There was no Computer Music category in 1991.
- 1987 - Peter GabrielPeter GabrielPeter Brian Gabriel is an English singer, musician, and songwriter who rose to fame as the lead vocalist and flautist of the progressive rock group Genesis. After leaving Genesis, Gabriel went on to a successful solo career...
and Jean-Claude RissetJean-Claude RissetJean-Claude Risset is a French composer, best known for his pioneering contributions to computer music. He is a former student of André Jolivet and former co-worker of Max Mathews at Bell Labs.... - 1988 - Denis SmalleyDenis SmalleyDenis Arthur Smalley is a composer of electroacoustic music, with a special interest in acousmatic music.-Biography:...
- 1989 - Kaija SaariahoKaija SaariahoKaija Saariaho is a Finnish composer.Kaija Saariaho studied composition in Helsinki, Freiburg and Paris, where she has lived since 1982. Her studies and research at IRCAM have had a major influence on her music and her characteristically luxuriant and mysterious textures are often created by...
- 1990 - None
- 1991 - Category omitted
- 1992 - Alejandro ViñaoAlejandro ViñaoAlejandro Viñao is an Argentinian composer currently living in the United Kingdom.Viñao studied musical composition in Buenos Aires with the composer Jacobo Fischer . In 1976 he was awarded a British Council scholarship to study in London at the Royal College of Music and later on at the City...
- 1993 - Bernard ParmegianiBernard ParmegianiBernard Parmegiani is a composer best known for his electronic or acousmatic music.-Biography:Between 1957 and 1961 he studied mime with Jacques Lecoq, a period he later regarded as important to his work as a composer...
- 1994 - Ludger Brümmer
- 1995 - Trevor WishartTrevor WishartTrevor Wishart is an English composer, based in York. Wishart has contributed to composing with digital audio media, both fixed and interactive...
- 1996 - Robert NormandeauRobert NormandeauRobert Normandeau is a Canadian electroacoustic music composer.Normandeau studied at the Université Laval in Quebec City, and at the Université de Montréal, where he studied with Marcelle Deschênes and Francis Dhomont...
- 1997 - Matt Heckert
- 1998 - Peter Bosch and Simone Simons (joint award)
- 1999 - Aphex TwinAphex TwinRichard David James , best known under the pseudonym Aphex Twin, is an Irish-born electronic musician and composer described as "the most inventive and influential figure in contemporary electronic music"...
(Richard D. James) and Chris CunninghamChris CunninghamChris Cunningham is an English music video film director and video artist. He was born in Reading, Berkshire in 1970 and grew up in Lakenheath, Suffolk....
(joint award) - 2000 - Carsten Nicolai
- 2001 - Ryoji IkedaRyoji IkedaRyoji Ikeda is a Japanese sound artist who lives and works in Paris. Ikeda's music is concerned primarily with sound in a variety of "raw" states, such as sine tones and noise, often using frequencies at the edges of the range of human hearing...
- 2002 - Yasunao ToneYasunao ToneYasunao Tone is a Japanese artist who has worked with many different types of media throughout his career. He was born in Tokyo, Japan in 1935, and he graduated from Chiba Japanese National University in 1957, majoring in Japanese literature. He became active in the Fluxus movement in the 1960s and...
- 2003 - Ami YoshidaAmi YoshidaAmi Yoshida is a Japanese musician.Yoshida does not play instruments, instead making her music with her own voice. Rather than conventional singing she makes a variety of vocalisations of such a nature that it is often hard to tell that the sounds are being produced by a voice at all. These sounds...
, Sachiko MSachiko MSachiko Matsubara, who usually records as Sachiko M, is a Japanese musician, but she considers herself to be a "non-musician".She was a member of Otomo Yoshihide's Ground Zero from 1994 to 1997, where she used a sampler. More recently, she has concentrated on music made from sine waves...
and Utah Kawasaki (joint award) - 2004 - Thomas KönerThomas KönerThomas Köner is a multimedia artist whose main interest lies in combining visual and auditory experiences. He's been noted for his use of low frequencies...
- 2005 - Maryanne AmacherMaryanne AmacherMaryanne Amacher was an American composer and installation artist.-Biography:Amacher was born in Kane, Pennsylvania, to an American nurse and a Swiss freight train worker. As the only child, she grew up playing the piano. Amacher left Kane to attend the University of Pennsylvania on a full...
- 2006 - Eliane RadigueEliane RadigueEliane Radigue is a French electronic music composer. She started her work in the 1950s and her first creations were presented in the late 1960s. Until 2000 her work was almost exclusively created on a single synthesizer, the ARP 2500 modular system and tape...
- 2007 - Mashiro Miwa
- 2008 - ReactableReactableThe Reactable is an electronic musical instrument with a tabletop Tangible User Interface that has been developed within the at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona, Spain by Sergi Jordà, Marcos Alonso, Martin Kaltenbrunner and Günter Geiger....
by Sergi JordàSergi JordàSergi Jordà is a Catalan innovator, installation artist, digital musician and Associate Professor at the Music Technology Group, Universitat Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona. He is best known for directing the team that invented the Reactable....
(ES), Martin Kaltenbrunner (AT), Günter Geiger (AT) and Marcos Alonso (ES) - 2009 - Speeds of Time versions 1 and 2 by Bill FontanaBill FontanaBill Fontana is known internationally for his pioneering experiments in sound art.Fontana attended New School for Social Research in New York and studied both music and philosophy. He traveled to Australia, and also stayed in Japan and Germany composing. Fontana began making sound sculptures in 1976...
(US) - 2010 - rheo: 5 horizons by Ryoichi Kurokawa (JP)
- 2011 - Energy Field by Jana Winderen (NO)
Hybrid art
- 2007 - SymbioticASymbiotica' is an artistic laboratory dedicated to the research, learning and critique of life sciences. Located within the at The University of Western Australia, it is the first research laboratory of its kind, in that it enables artists to engage in wet biology practices in a biological science...
- 2008 - Pollstream - Nuage Vert by Helen Evans (FR/UK) and Heiko Hansen (FR/DE) HeHeHeheThe Hehe are an ethnic and linguistic group based in Iringa Region in south-central Tanzania, speaking the Bantu Hehe language. In 1994, the Hehe population was estimated to number 750,000.-History:...
- 2009 - Natural History of the Enigma by Eduardo KacEduardo KacEduardo Kac is an American contemporary artist internationally recognized for his interactive net installations and his bio-art. Kac was born in 1962, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He lives and works in Chicago....
(US) - 2010 - Ear on Arm by StelarcStelarcStelarc is a Cypriot-Australian performance artist whose works focuses heavily on extending the capabilities of the human body. As such, most of his pieces are centred around his concept that the human body is obsolete...
(AU) - 2011 - May the Horse Live in me by Art Orienté Objet (FR)
[the next idea] voestalpine Art and Technology Grant
- 2009 - "Open_Sailing" by Open Sailing Crew led by Cesar Harada.
- 2010 - "Hostage" by [Frederik De Wilde].
- 2011 - Choke Point Project by P2P FoundationP2P FoundationP2P Foundation: The Foundation for Peer to Peer Alternatives is an organization with the aim of studying the impact of peer to peer technology and thought on society.It was founded by Michel Bauwens and coordinated by Franco Iacomella....
(NL)..
Interactive Art
Prizes in the category of interactive artInteractive art
Interactive art is a form of installation-based art that involves the spectator in a way that allows the art to achieve its purpose. Some installations achieve this by letting the observer or visitor "walk" in, on, and around them; Some others ask the artist to become part of the artwork.Works of...
have been awarded since 1990. This category applies to many categories of works, including installations and performances, characterized by audience participation, virtual reality, multimedia and telecommunication.
- 1990 - "Videoplace" installation by Myron Krueger
- 1991 - "Think About the People Now" project by Paul SermonPaul SermonPaul Sermon was born 23 March 1966, in Oxford, England. Since June 2000 he has worked as the Professor of Creative Technologies in the Research Centre for Art and Design at the University of Salford, Manchester.- Biography :...
- 1992 - "Home of the Brain" installation by Monika Fleischmann and Wolfgang Strauss
- 1993 - "Simulationsraum-Mosaik mobiler Datenklänge (smdk)" installation by Knowbotic ResearchKnowbotic ResearchKnowbotic Research is a German-Swiss electronic art group, established in 1991. Its members are Yvonne Wilhelm, Christian Hübler and Alexander Tuchacek...
- 1994 - "A-Volve" environment by Christa Sommerer and Laurent Mignonneau
- 1995 - the concept of HypertextHypertextHypertext is text displayed on a computer or other electronic device with references to other text that the reader can immediately access, usually by a mouse click or keypress sequence. Apart from running text, hypertext may contain tables, images and other presentational devices. Hypertext is the...
, attributed to Tim Berners-LeeTim Berners-LeeSir Timothy John "Tim" Berners-Lee, , also known as "TimBL", is a British computer scientist, MIT professor and the inventor of the World Wide Web... - 1996 - "Global Interior Project" installation by Masaki FujihataMasaki FujihataMasaki Fujihata is a Japanese sound and installation artist and a professor at Keio University.- External links :*...
- 1997 - "Music Plays Images X Images Play Music" concert by Ryuichi SakamotoRyuichi SakamotoAfter working as a session musician with Haruomi Hosono and Yukihiro Takahashi in 1977, the trio formed the internationally successful electronic music band Yellow Magic Orchestra in 1978. Known for their seminal influence on electronic music, the group helped pioneer electronic genres such as...
and Toshio IwaiToshio Iwaiis a Japanese interactive media and installation artist who has also created a number of commercial video games. In addition he has worked in television, music performance, museum design and digital musical instrument design.-Education and early work:... - 1998 - "World Skin" installation by Jean-Baptiste BarrièreJean-Baptiste BarrièreJean-Baptiste Barrière was a French cellist and composer. He was born in Bordeaux and died in Paris, at 40 years of age.-Musical career:Barrière first studied the viol, and published a set of viol sonatas...
and Maurice BenayounMaurice BenayounMaurice Benayoun is a French pioneer new-media artist and theorist based in Paris. His work employs various media, including video, immersive virtual reality, the Web, wireless technology, performance, large-scale urban art installations and interactive exhibitions.-Biography:Born in Mascara,... - 1999 - "Difference Engine #3" by construct and Lynn Hershman
- 2000 - "Vectorial Elevation, Relational Architecture #4" installation by Rafael Lozano-HemmerRafael Lozano-HemmerRafael Lozano-Hemmer is a Mexican-Canadian electronic artist who works with ideas from architecture, technological theater and performance. He holds a Bachelors of Science in Physical Chemistry from Concordia University in Montreal...
- 2001 - "polar" installation by Carsten Nicolai and Marko Peljhan
- 2002 - "n-cha(n)t" installation by David RokebyDavid RokebyDavid Rokeby is an artist who has been making works of electronic, video and installation art since 1982.His early work Very Nervous System is acknowledged as a pioneering work of interactive art, translating physical gestures into real-time interactive sound environments...
- 2003 - "Can You See Me Now?Can You See Me Now?Can You See Me Now? is an urban chase game developed by and the . Performers on the streets of a city use handheld computers, GPS and walkie talkies to chase online players who move their avatars through a virtual model of the same town....
" participatory game by Blast TheoryBlast TheoryBlast Theory is a Brighton-based artists’ group, whose work mixes interactive media, digital broadcasting and live performance.-Biography:The group was founded in 1991 by Matt Adams, Niki Jewett, Will Kittow and Ju Row Farr. The group is currently led by Matt Adams, Ju Row Farr and Nick...
and Mixed Reality Lab - 2004 - "Listening Post" installation by Ben Rubin and Mark Hansen
- 2005 - "MILKproject" installation and project by Esther Polak, Ieva Auzina and RIXC - Riga Center for New Media Culture
- 2006 - "The Messenger" installation by Paul DeMarinisPaul DeMarinisPaul DeMarinis is an American electronic music composer, sound, performance, and computer-based artist.-Education:In 1971, Demarinis received a B.A. in Music and Filmmaking Interdisciplinary from Antioch College...
- 2007 - "Park View Hotel" installation by Ashok SukumaranAshok Sukumaran- Biography :Sukumaran was born to a Japanese mother and an Indian father in Sapporo, Japan in 1974. Sukumaran grew up in Shimla, India.Sukumaran is a trained architect with a degree from School of Planning and Architecture, Delhi, India...
- 2008 - Image Fulgurator by Julius von Bismarck (GermanyGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
) - 2009 - Nemo Observatorium by Laurence Malstaf (BelgiumBelgiumBelgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
) - 2010 - The Eyewriter by Zachary LiebermanZachary LiebermanZachary Lieberman is an American artist and computer programmer. His art work focuses around computer graphics, human-computer interaction, and computer vision....
, Evan Roth, James Powderly, Theo Watson, Chris Sugrue, Tempt1 - 2011 - Newstweek by Julian Oliver (NZ) and Danja Vasiliev (RU)
Internet-related categories
In the categories "World Wide Web" (1995 – 96) and ".net" (1997 – 2000), interesting web-based projects were awarded, based on criteria like web-specificity, community-orientation, identity and interactivityInteractivity
In the fields of information science, communication, and industrial design, there is debate over the meaning of interactivity. In the "contingency view" of interactivity, there are three levels:...
. In 2001, the category became broader under the new name "Net Vision / Net Excellence", with rewards for innovation in the online medium.
World Wide Web
- 1995 - "Idea Futures" by Robin HansonRobin HansonRobin D. Hanson is an associate professor of economics at George Mason University and a research associate at the Future of Humanity Institute of Oxford University. He is known as an expert on idea futures, markets and was involved in the creation of the Foresight Exchange and DARPA's FutureMAP...
- 1996 - "Digital Hijack" by etoyEtoyEtoy is a European digital art group. Etoy won several international awards including the Prix Ars Electronica in 1996. Their main slogan is: "leaving reality behind."...
- Second prizes: HyGrid by SITOSITOSITO is an online artist collective which began in January 1993, making it one of the oldest Internet-based art organizations. It was started by Ed Stastny and has been maintained by Stastny and a group of volunteers and supporters...
and Journey as an exile
- Second prizes: HyGrid by SITO
.net
- 1997 - "Sensorium" by Taos Project
- 1998 - "IO_Dencies Questioning Urbanity" by Knowbotic ResearchKnowbotic ResearchKnowbotic Research is a German-Swiss electronic art group, established in 1991. Its members are Yvonne Wilhelm, Christian Hübler and Alexander Tuchacek...
- 1999 - LinuxLinuxLinux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
by Linus TorvaldsLinus TorvaldsLinus Benedict Torvalds is a Finnish software engineer and hacker, best known for having initiated the development of the open source Linux kernel. He later became the chief architect of the Linux kernel, and now acts as the project's coordinator... - 2000 - In the Beginning... Was the Command Line (excerpts) by Neal StephensonNeal StephensonNeal Town Stephenson is an American writer known for his works of speculative fiction.Difficult to categorize, his novels have been variously referred to as science fiction, historical fiction, cyberpunk, and postcyberpunk...
Net Vision / Net Excellence
- 2001 - "Banja" by Team cHmAn and "PrayStation" by Joshua DavisJoshua Davis (web designer)Joshua Davis is an American web designer, author and artist in new media. He was an early pioneer in the use of Macromedia Flash as a tool to generate Art...
- 2002 - "Carnivore" by Radical Software Group and "They Rule" by Josh On and FuturefarmersFuturefarmersFuturefarmers is an international artist collective practicing a form of cultural activism that exploits the interactive potential offered by new media and public spaces...
- 2003 - Habbo HotelHabbo HotelHabbo is a social networking site aimed at teenagers. The website is owned and operated by Sulake Corporation. The service began in 2000 and has expanded to include 11 online communities , with users in over 150 countries. As of August 2011, over 230 million avatars have been registered...
and "Noderunner" by Yury Gitman and Carlos J. Gomez de Llarena - 2004 - Creative CommonsCreative CommonsCreative Commons is a non-profit organization headquartered in Mountain View, California, United States devoted to expanding the range of creative works available for others to build upon legally and to share. The organization has released several copyright-licenses known as Creative Commons...
- 2005 - "ProcessingProcessing (programming language)Processing is an open source programming language and integrated development environment built for the electronic arts and visual design communities with the purpose of teaching the basics of computer programming in a visual context, and to serve as the foundation for electronic sketchbooks...
" by Benjamin FryBenjamin FryBenjamin Fry is an American expert in data visualization, principal of Fathom, a design and software consultancy in Boston, MA, a co-creator of Processing, an open source programming language and integrated development environment built for the electronic arts and visual design communities with...
, Casey Reas and the Processing community - 2006 - "The Road Movie" by exonemo
Digital Communities
A category begun in 2004 with support from SAP (and a separate ceremony in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
two months before the main Ars Electronica ceremony) to celebrate the 25th birthday of Ars Electronica. Two Golden Nicas were awarded.
- 2004 - WikipediaWikipediaWikipedia is a free, web-based, collaborative, multilingual encyclopedia project supported by the non-profit Wikimedia Foundation. Its 20 million articles have been written collaboratively by volunteers around the world. Almost all of its articles can be edited by anyone with access to the site,...
and "The World Starts With MeThe World Starts With MeThe World Starts With Me is a computer-based sex education and AIDS prevention program aimed at young Ugandans, developed and produced by Butterfly Works and the World Population Foundation in association with Ugandan Schoolnet.It has so far reached children all around the globe and Kenyans have...
" - 2005 - "AkshayaAkshayaAkshaya is a Tamil film actress, who has appeared in Tamil films. She is probably best known for her performances in Kalabhak Kadhalan and Engal Aasan.- Filmography :- References :...
", an information technologyInformation technologyInformation technology is the acquisition, processing, storage and dissemination of vocal, pictorial, textual and numerical information by a microelectronics-based combination of computing and telecommunications...
development program in IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
- Distinction: Free Software FoundationFree Software FoundationThe Free Software Foundation is a non-profit corporation founded by Richard Stallman on 4 October 1985 to support the free software movement, a copyleft-based movement which aims to promote the universal freedom to create, distribute and modify computer software...
(USA) and TelestreetTelestreetTelestreet is an Italian movement that set up pirate TV stations in several metropolian areas in Italy. The movement has started up in Bologna with a small transmitting station, OrfeoTv, which was founded by media theorist and activist Franco "Bifo" Berardi; since June 2002, this micro-tv has been...
- NewGlobalVision (Italy)
- Distinction: Free Software Foundation
- 2006 - canal*ACCESSIBLE
- Distinction:
- Codecheck (Roman Bleichenbacher CH)
- Proyecto Cyberela – Radio Telecentros (CEMINA)
- Honorary Mentions:
- ArduinoArduinoArduino is an open-source single-board microcontroller, descendant of the open-source Wiring platform, designed to make the process of using electronics in multidisciplinary projects more accessible. The hardware consists of a simple open hardware design for the Arduino board with an Atmel AVR...
(Arduino) - Charter97.org – News from Belarus
- CodeTree
- MetaReciclagem
- Mountain Forum
- Northfield.org
- Pambazuka News (Fahamu
- Semapedia
- stencilboard.at (Stefan Eibelwimmer (AT), Günther Kolar (AT))
- The Freecycle Network
- The Organic City
- UgaBYTES Initiative (UgaBYTES Initiative (UG))
- Arduino
- Distinction:
- 2007 - Overmundo
- 2008 - 1kg more
- Distinction: PatientsLikeMePatientsLikeMePatientsLikeMe is a data-driven social networking health site that enables its members to share condition, treatment, and symptom information in order to monitor their health over time and learn from real-world outcomes. Members are able to find and connect with patients like them, gain social...
and Global Voices OnlineGlobal Voices OnlineGlobal Voices Online is an international network of bloggers and citizen journalists that follow, report, and summarizes what is going on in the blogosphere in every corner of the world...
- Distinction: PatientsLikeMe
- 2009 - HiperBarrio by Álvaro Ramírez and Gabriel Jaime Vanegas
- Distinction:
- Honorary Mentions:
- hackmeeting.org
- pad.ma
- ManenoManenoManeno is a blogging application powered by PHP, Smarty, and MySQL with content management capabilities. Initially released in October, 2008, it focuses on creating a multi-theme, multi-author, multi-lingual system that works in a hosted setting . The name Maneno means 'words' in Swahili and...
- femalepressure.net
- metamute.org
- ubu.com
- canchas.org
- feraltrade.org
- flossmanuals.net
- wikiartpedia.org
- changemakers.net
- vocesbolivianas.org
- 2010 - Chaos Computer ClubChaos Computer ClubThe Chaos Computer Club is an organization of hackers. The CCC is based in Germany and other German-speaking countries.The CCC describes itself as "a galactic community of life forms, independent of age, sex, race or societal orientation, which strives across borders for freedom of...
- 2011 - Fundacion Ciudadano Inteligente
- Distinction: