Introductory Statement


'Franz Hillinger Franz Hillinger

For the third time since 1979, Ars Electronica, the great special event of the International Bruckner Festival is being held, this year for the first time after 1980 at a biennial interval. This does not only make financing easier, it also leads to a considerable concentration of the various areas of events as to their artistic, scientific, and managerial feasibility. This way, energies are not scattered and public interest is not unduly strained so as to dwindle. On the contrary: Ars Electronica in 1982 appears likely to rouse more attention and anticipation than ever. There are going to be eight premieres, six of which have been designed especially for Ars Electronica.

Wide is the scope of possible expression and of acousto-optic execution. It comprises visualizations in the open-air, so-called "Sky Events", the composition of a "Linzer Stahloper" (Linz Steel-Opera), a "Sound Square", a Laser-Opera for multimedia and electronics, and telecommunication of artists from all continents with Linz. A mysterious "white noise" is being transmitted, picked up by a radiotelescope at Effelsberg /Eifel from a galaxy at a distance of 1050 light years. This sensational, even revolutionary new program continues with a thrilling electronic "science fiction fantasia" on the fascinating topic of the "Bermuda Triangle", and the first "Computer-Acoustic Sound Symphony" of two composers from Linz, and climaxes in the electronic expansion of Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 5 to the third Linz Sound Cloud, with Lorin Maazel conducting the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, which puts the stamp of general recognition by society on the former experiment.

Another word on the program of this year's Ars Electronica: The producer LIVA (Linz Special Events Planning Corporation) has again accorded jazz its rank of importance by initiating the formation of a special "electronic-jazz-workshop ensemble" to play progressive electronic jazz at Ars Electronica.

The municipality of Linz, publicly authorized to administer LIVA concerns, has always attached high importance to the conjunction of Ars Electronica and the world of science as well as industry and economy. In 1982, it is undertaking efforts towards establishing Linz as the venue for a future electronics fair and related exhibitions in connection with Ars Electronica.

In the regional studio of the co-producer ORF (Austrian Broadcasting Corporation) and in the Brucknerhaus itself, workshops and symposia are being held this year for space experts and space-oriented artists from all over the world and for a gathering of electronics and informatics experts concerned with the industrial robots of the future. As in 1979 and 1980, a "Grand Prize of Ars Electronica" will be awarded for the "most original and promising new development in the field of electronic sound production".

This list of dazzling ventures should not lead to the assumption that LIVA and OFF are taking chances as to the music-artistic as well as the commercial aspects without having adequately assessed the outcome of their projects. To safeguard their ambitious dreams, both institutions have their work evaluated scientifically.

Three Austrian universities—in Vienna, Linz and Salzburg—have carried out a coordinated study on the efficiency of and the response to the International Bruckner Festival in general and Ars Electronica in particular by analyzing the audience and the producer and also comments and criticism of the media. The result has been published in a paperback by a publishing house in Linz. May the catalogue of this year's Ars Electronica also be appreciated.

The novelty of statements and lay-out correponds to the novelty of the electronic medium. We hope that it will reach a large number of readers interested in culture and the sciences.

Franz Hillinger, Mayor of the regional capital Linz