An extensive and fascinating media art network has emerged over the 20+ years since the launch of Ars Electronica. You can explore it with “Ars Electronica Navigator,” which makes it easy to visualize the behind-the-scenes relationships that link artists, theoreticians, projects and publications.

In Navigator’s larger field on the left side of the screen, you specify whether you’re searching for “People,” “Projects” or “Publications” (catalog texts, books, CDs, etc.). The default setting is to display entries from the current year. To check out another year, click on “Previous Year” on the left edge or “Next Year” on the right.

For example, if you’re searching for a person, everyone from that particular year will be displayed in alphabetical order by last name. Use the gray bar at the bottom edge of the screen to scroll back through the alphabet. If you click on a name, the right side of the Navigator screen becomes active and the “Current Selection” field now displays the name you’re checking out. In the middle of the field below it, there appears a circle symbolizing that person. The squares arrayed about it stand for projects that the person you’re checking out is involved in. The years in which these projects were carried out is displayed in the time bar at the very bottom of the screen. You always have the option of jumping to another year by clicking on the corresponding field.

If you now click on the lettering below the square, there appears in the text field below the Navigator a description of the particular project from the project archive. A triangle stands for a publication—in most cases, an article that appeared in one of the Ars Electronica catalogs. In this way, you can see at a glance how frequently an artist or theoretician was involved in projects at Ars Electronica and how many texts or other publications by this artist or theoretician Ars Electronica has published.
In the green field next to the display area under the Navigator, you’ll find links that can provide you with additional information about the entries you’ve selected.

Help is always available—just click on the “Help” button at the upper right of the screen next to the “Current Selection” field.