Winner Share Prize

November 11, 2010 4:26 pm

The inauguration of the 6th Piemonte Share Festival was accompanied by the announcement of the winner of the Share Prize 2010 and the honorary mention. The objective of the prize is to discover, promote and support the digital arts. This year around 270 artists submitted an equivalent number of entries for the prize, from 20 different countries.

An international panel of judges, consisting of Jurij Krpan (Ljubljana), Andy Cameron (London), Fulvio Gianaria (Turin) and Bruce Sterling (Austin/Turin), reviewed the works submitted by participating artists.

From the six finalists (Kuai Auson, Perry Bard, Sonia Cillari, Ernesto Klar, Knowbotic Research and Teatrino Elettrico) the judges selected Ernesto Klar winner of Share Prize. His interactive, audiovisual installation Relational Lights uses light, sound, haze and a custom software system to create fluid, gradual transformation, a three-dimensional light-space that the audience can interact with actively, manipulating it with their presence and movement.

Honorary mention was given to Kuai Auson for the work Oh!M1gas, based on the activity of an ant colony under video and audio surveillance, transforming the ants into DJs and creating a sound-reactive space which reveals the connection between scratching, as an aesthetic expression created by human culture, and the ‘calls’ produced by the ants as a means of communication.

On behalf of the judges, Bruce Sterling explained the decision saying:

The winner of the Share Prize 2010 is Ernesto Klar for his installation Relational Lights. In this work, a huge algorithmic complex is hidden behind a simple, elegant interface. This work of interactive art is a fantastic, world class work – congratulations Ernesto.

Our special commendation goes to Kuai Auson for the installation Oh!M1gas (pronounced hormigas). In this unique, ingenious work from Cologne, ants – social networkers par excellence – become techno musicians. An intelligent industrial design acts as back-up to the musical ants, which after touring several countries are now performing here in Italy too – good luck with your career Kuai.