PRIX ARS ELECTRONICA 2001 DECIDED
Winners of the Golden Nicas Announced Yesterday Evening
Linz, Sept 4, 2001
The Prix Ars Electronica 2001 awards presentation yesterday evening at
the ORF Upper Austrian Regional Studio and live on satellite TV 3sat was
the crowning conclusion of this year's competition. A new procedure for
the awards increased the excitement among artists and guests in the contest
for the Golden Nicas.
Three works were nominated for money prizes in each section of the competition. However, the question of who would ultimately receive the Golden Nicas with Euro 10.000 each remained top secret until the end. The winners were all the more delighted at the outcome.
* Xavier de l'Hermuzière and Philippe Grammaticopoulos from France
for the animation "Le Processus" in the section Computer Animation/
Visual Effects,
* Ryoji Ikeda from Japan for the composition "Matrix" in the
section Digital Musics,
* Carsten Nicolai from Germany and Marco Peljhan from Slovenia for the
art installation "polar" in the section Interactive Art,
* Team cHmAn from France for the online game "Banja" in the
section Net Vision,
* Joshua Davis from the USA for "IPIRIAIYISITIAITIIIOINI in the section
Net Excellence and
* Markus Triska from Langenzersdorf in Lower Austria for the game "Jind",
with which he took the Golden Nica in the section cybergeneration - u19
freestyle computing.
In total, roughly 2,200 works from 62 countries around the world were
entered this year in the Prix Ars Electronica. The respective winners
were chosen by secret vote in April by the juries composed of renowned
experts.
In this way, 18 works were nominated in the six competition categories
(one of which is a double category: Net Vision/Net Excellence) for the
Golden Nicas.
In addition to the Golden Nica and the Awards of Distinction, the winners receive money prizes amounting to a total of Euro 100.000, donated by jet2web Internet.
With charm and proficiency, the hosts Ingrid Thurnher and Josef Broukal
led the guests through the program and opened the digital envelopes, supported
by prominent award presenters from business and politics, revealing the
secret surrounding the digital masterpieces of the Prix Ars Electronica
2001.
The Winners and Their Works
Computer Animation/Visual Effects
Golden Nica (Euro 10.000)
* Xavier de l'Hermuzière, Philippe Grammaticopoulos (France): "Le
Processus"
In woodcut-like black and white images, the film deals with an individual
breaking out of the conformity of a group.
2 Awards of Distinction (à Euro 5.000)
* Ralph Eggleston; Pixar Animation Studios (USA): "For The Birds"
This short film tells an astutely humorous story of what can happen, when
incongruous partners come together.
* Laetitia Gabrielli, Max Tourret, Mathieu Renoux, Pierre Marteel, Mathieu
Renoux, Max Tourret (France): "L'Enfant de la Haute Mer"
In an abandoned town by the sea, a little girl clings to her dreams.
Digital Musics
Golden Nica (Euro 10.000)
* Ryoji Ikeda (Japan): "Matrix"
In his work "Matrix" Ryoji Ikeda uses digital recording processes
in the purest and most precise form. Video projections are perfectly synchronized
with the music.
2 Awards of Distinction (à Euro 5.000)
* Markus Popp / oval (Germany): "ovalprocess/ovalcommers"
"Ovalprocess" is an interactive sound installation consisting
of an aesthetically sophisticated interface and an uninterrupted playback
of stored and manipulated sounds, which change their structure and sequence
over the course of time.
* Blectum from Blechdom (USA): "The Messy Jesse Fiesta"
"The Messy Jesse Fiesta" is "dirty electronic" with
humor - the work is a result of the collaboration between two artists
with classical musical training.
Interactive Art
Golden Nica (Euro 10.000)
* Carsten Nicolai, Marco Peljhan (Germany/Slovenia): "polar"
"polar" is an interactive multimedia installation that makes
it possible to experience the data flow in global and local networks both
sensuously and cognitively.
2 Awards of Distinction (à Euro 5.000)
* association.creation (Austria): "bump"
In the project "bump", two wooden bridges in two different cities
form the meeting point for large public events. When someone steps on
one of these bridges, this person's weight triggers an impulse that is
transmitted through a data transmission cable to the wooden bridge in
the other city, thus moving the corresponding plank by a few centimeters.
* Haruki Nishijima (Japan): "Remain in Light"
"Remain in Light" is the contemporary modern version of the
insect collector of the past. "Electronic insects" form the
starting material - bits of analog (!) noises from the environment, which
are collected in parking lots, restaurants, cities, etc. and become an
interactive visual environment of the outside world.
Net Vision/Net Excellence
Golden Nica Net Vision (Euro 10.000)
* Team cHmAn (France): "Banja, the online game" http://www.banja.com
"Banja" is a pioneering online game that exploits and impels
the possibilities of ingenious Flash programming in a fresh and previously
unattained way.
2 Awards of Distinction Net Vision (à Euro 5.000)
* Yuji Naka; Sonic Team/Sega (Japan):
"Phantasy Star Online" http://www.sega.com/sega/game/pso_launch.jhtml
"Phantasy Star Online" is a multi-player game that opens up
new dimensions of networked gaming thanks to the fortuitous combination
of game console and the Internet. The integration of innovative communication
modules (such as a real-time translation tool) is especially striking.
* Neeraj Jhanji; ImaHima Inc. (Japan): "ImaHima" http://shiva.imahima.com
"ImaHima" is a location-specific application for the Japanese
I-Mode standard, which makes the principle of newsgroups mobile and displays
to the user people with the same interest and friends nearby on his mobile
phone.
Golden Nica Net Excellence (Euro 10.000)
* Joshua Davis (USA): "|P|R|A|Y|S|T|A|T|I|O|N|" http://www.praystation.com
"Praystation" works as a kind of distance learning community,
in which unusual ways of programming Flash are playfully and intuitively
explored, and the source code of the developments is made available to
the public.
2 Awards of Distinction Net Excellence (à Euro 5.000)
* Chris McGrail, Dorian Moore, Dan Sayers/ Kleber (UK): "Warp Records"
http://warprecords.com
The web site for "Warp Records", one of the most innovative
record labels in the electronic music scene, is striking because of its
style-setting design and a specially developed, efficient online shopping
system, which enables the independent label to distribute its products
at low cost.
* Brian McGrath, Mark Watkins (USA): "Manhattan Timeformations"
http://www.skyscraper.org/timeformations
"Manhattan Timeformations" is the visualization of the dynamic
relationship between Manhattan's skyscrapers and various factors of urban
development. The significant potential of linking information and architecture
is impressively demonstrated here.
cybergeneration - u19 freestyle computing
Golden Nica (Euro 5.500)
* Markus Triska; Langenzersdorf (Lower Austria): "JIND"
Following an intensive occupation with theoretical background knowledge,
Markus Triska developed his program for a programming competition of the
online school paper "In and Online". The resultant game "JIND"
enables readers of the online paper to become acquainted with and try
out the basics of programming. A game figure in a labyrinth is given a
solution path as general as possible using instructions, conditions and
loops. The game can be tried out at http://triskam.virtualave.net/jind.html
2 Awards of Distinction (à Euro 2.200)
* Martin Leonhartsberger, Gramastetten (Upper Austria): "Power Sphere"
"Power Sphere" is a small Plexiglas sphere that is moved by
the weight of the drive unit. Martin Leonhartsberger took up a former
school project and created a phenomenal product with it - a remote-controlled
sphere vehicle that is anything but slow.
* Johannes Schiehsl, Conrad Tambour and Peter Strobl; Enzesfeld (Lower
Austria):
"Professor Brösl"
The game "Professor Brösl" is a scurrilous graphics adventure,
in which the player slips into the role of a professor trying to save
a research center from closing by coming up with money for it. After accomplishing
many exciting tasks, the Professor realizes that the money is not for
research, but for an illegal underground movement. The graphically sophisticated
and elaborate game is fascinating because of its amusing dialogues in
dialect form and exciting scenes with a lively conclusion.
And there is more in store for the Ars Electronica
days
For anyone who wants to know more about the Prix Ars Electronica, there
are especially good and diverse opportunities to do so now, during the
period of the Ars Electronica Festival.
The entire festival program and details on all the events, exhibitions,
concerts and performances can be downloaded from the web site http://www.aec.at/takeover.
Here are a few particularly interesting tips:
Must see: CYBERARTS 2001
Exhibition of the best works of the Prix Ars Electronica in Linz
At the exhibition "Cyberarts 2001", visitors can set off on
an interactive journey of discovery. The O.K Center for Contemporary Art
in Linz shows a selection of the best works of the Prix Ars Electronica
2001 and invites visitors to take action, be astonished, try it out. During
the festival, many artists will be on hand in person along with their
projects and will be happy to answer questions.
Plenty of room is devoted to the younger generation, too: the youth category u19 freestyle computing is presented in a separate exhibition area especially designed for young people. A visit during the last days of the summer holidays is certainly worthwhile and a motivation to take part in the u19 competition in the coming year - waiting for you!
Exhibition Opening Hours (Tickets ATS 50/ATS 30 reduced.):
1.-6. Sept. 10:00 a.m.-midnight (for night owls too!)
7.-16. Sept. Tues., 10:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m. and Wed. through Sun., 10:00
a.m.-6:00 p.m.
Meet the Winners in Person!
Artists' Forum on 3 afternoons at the ORF Regional Studio in Linz with
free admission
From Tues.-Thurs., 4-6 Sept., the Prix winners present their prize-winning
works in person. Here, with no charge for admission, you can find out
for yourself about the latest animation techniques, Internet projects,
digital music developments and much more. The presentation of the individual
competition categories will take place on three afternoons:
Tues., 4 Sept., 2:3 -6:15 p.m.: Computer Animation/Visual Effects
Wed., 5 Sept., 2:30-6:30 p.m.: Digital Musics and Interactive Art
Thurs., 6 Sept., 2:30-6:30 p.m.: Net Vision/Net Excellence
Because the Prix Ars Electronica is celebrating its 15th anniversary
this year, there will also be a one and a half hour video special on the
history of computer graphics and a lecture by Dieter Daniels, Professor
for Art History and Media Theory in Leipzig, on Tues., 4 Sept.
Prize-Winners in Concert:
Fixed Dates for Digital Musics Fans
Tues., 4 Sept., 9:00 p.m., at the Brucknerhaus in Linz
Ryoji Ikeda in Concert
A performance that opens up extraordinary dimensions of hearing and tests
our perceptions of time and space, sound and light.
Thurs., 6 Sept., 10:00 p.m., at the Posthof in Linz
Down with the Messy Gearhound Fiesta
fLeetwood Macintosh: bLect6um from bLechdom, kid606, Lesser
For browsing in the cyberworld:
Competition documentation - Book, VHS/DVD, CD also as a packaged set
As a documentation of the competition, the book "Cyberarts 2001"
is published for the Ars Electronica Festival by Springer Vienna/New York"
(ATS 360).
The best works of the category Computer Animation/Visual Effects are documented
on VHS cassette and DVD (ATS 260 each), and excerpts from the prize-winning
works in the category Digital Musics are released on CD (ATS 160).
A packaged set with book/CD/VHS or book/CD/DVD is available for only ATS
660. Orders and information at info@prixars.orf.at
Prize Donor and Sponsors of the Prix Ars Electronica
From the beginning, the Prix Ars Electronica has been made possible in
its entirety through the commitment of institutions from business and
public spending. In 2001 these are jet2web Internet as prize donor, the
VOEST-ALPINE AG, Datakom Austria and the Austrian Postal Bank P.S.K.,
and the City of Linz and the Province of Upper Austria as sponsors.
In addition, the Prix Ars Electronica would also like to thank Austrian
Airlines, Lufthansa, Casinos Austria, Courtyard by Marriott, Sony DADC
and the Pöstlingberg Schlöss'l for their support.
Press texts, information, picture material:
http://www.aec.at/takeover (see "press" and "pictures")
Contact persons for questions:
ORF/ Prix Ars Electronica: Dr. Christine Schöpf, Judith Raab
Europaplatz 3, A-4021 Linz
Tel. 0043/ (0)732/ 6900 - 24218, 24227; christine.schoepf@orf.at; judith.raab@orf.at
Presse-Information