I would like to congratulate the OeAD on its 60th anniversary. For years I have been a member of the jury in the u19 – create your world category of the Prix Ars Electronica, in which the OeAD is also involved. In the course of this work I have had some of the most exciting conversations of my professional life, inspired by the work of young people and children.
Projects of all kinds may be submitted here, from crayon drawings of fantastic machines to technical college projects in the field of robotics, from animated films to self-composed pieces of music, from video games to interactive art installations. Every year the large number of entries also includes numerous school projects that not only testify to the enthusiasm of the pupils but also to the immense motivation of the teachers.
Being on the jury for the u19 is an annual highlight for me personally for various reasons. One of them is the insight into the world of thoughts and feelings of the upcoming generation, another is the appreciation that all participants get in the form of written feedback. Regardless of whether a work wins an award or not, everyone receives a response in the form of constructive criticism and words of encouragement. We have already heard from many participants that this feedback has strengthened their aspirations and self-confidence so that they have often submitted projects again in subsequent years and some have even managed to win an award.
This kind of encouragement of individual talents and recognition of artistic as well as scientific and socio-critical curiosity is essential to encourage young people and I am immensely happy again year after year that this prize exists and that it is also supported and promoted in this way by an institution of the Republic of Austria.
The Prix Ars Electronica is the most traditional media art competition in the world. This year the golden Nica in the category u19 – create your world went to the project re-wire by Felix Senk, Emil Steixner and Max-Jakob Beer. They built a modular synthesiser out of electronic scrap and materials they found. They recorded the sounds for it themselves, partly during the creation of the object, for example when sawing the boards. So it is an instrument the sounds of which come from its own making. There was a common theme in many of the submissions: recycling, careful treatment of nature and the environment and sustainable concepts for the use of resources.
The OeAD is a long-standing cooperation partner of Prix Ars Electronica - u19-create your world.
Text: Conny Lee | FM4 has been a jury member for many years and has just hosted the award ceremony.
To the video message "Klasse! Lernen. Wir sind digital" of the Minister of Education Heinz Faßmann
