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Golden Nica

Manfred Mohr is one of the pioneers of artistic computer graphics and one of the few who are working exclusively in this field as professionals. As for his style, he could well be considered part of neo-constructivism, although he personally refuses such categorisations. He works with a custom plotter and does all the programming himself.
At the start of his activities in 1969, pseudo-writings with two different line-widths were typical.Up to today, he has remained true to this kind of design, within which cryptic aspects play an important role But he was not awarded the Golden Nica in Computer Graphics at Prix Ars Electronica 90 for his historical merits, but rather as an acknowledgement of his entry "P-411-A" distinguished through its conciseness and contents, as with all of his work.

The entry is part of a series of graphic research work started in 1973 - and quite in the style of the visual research of the seventies, trying to analyse an optical problem under multiple representational aspects. His topic is the so-called "Hypercube", inaccessible to human imagination, the understanding of which he approaches through a projection into 3D- and 2D-space. Through various disturbances, among them ,breaking the imminent symmetry of the cube so to speak, he succeeds in gaining a whole repertoire of signs to group and re-group in accordance with deliberately chosen conditions, and thus inducing the creation of so-called "Super Signs" It must be emphasised that the process involved is an important momentum in this conception. This proves that the computer is a necessary instrument in the generation of results of this kind, not so much for the designing of the graphics as such, but for their development through a series of transformations, to the final configuration.


Distinctions

Charles Csuri was awarded the Distinction of Prix Ars Electronica for his work "Gossip" It is part of the latest stage in the artistic development of Charles Csuri, where he is moving away from his teaching, as well as from commercial activities, in favour of his original working sphere as an artist in the tradition of painting. Although he has systems of high technological qualities at his disposal, these are only of secondary importance to the quality of his work. After all, he is working with icons and symbols, expressing a global consciousness that leaves enough space both for modern technology and artistic traditions. His preciseness in the positioning of image elements, in an artificial space created by the computer, is remarkable. This is no physical space, rather a mental space, where insights, ideas and fragments of action unite to form a higher entity.

The American Bill Davison has been active in the artistic field of computer graphics since the 1960's. He presented his works in numerous exhibitions and worked, among others, at the Universities of Vermont and Michigan.

His image "Costa Rica" has been chosen for a Distinction, because it begins to point towards a new style, helping to overcome the original weaknesses of computer-generated design, that could be found in the mechanised use of graphic routines, and in the excess of colour. His image resulted from a combination of traditional collage techniques, with computer-graphical methods, which were used for the production of three images. The motives were concentrated in multiple superimposing on the right part of the image, while the left part has a simple element - a black frame - to act as a visual counterweight. The asymmetry, thus balanced, gives the work a fascinating added touch. Also, the well orientated use of colour must be noted.

 
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