VAF Digital Art Symposium: Engagement and Research as Dynamic Forces for Artistic Expression
Time
13/09/2024 10:00 - 13:00(GMT+02:00)
Location
Parolesalen (Arsenalet)
Kasernevej 8-10, Viborg
Event Details
The VAF Digital ArtSymposium, hosted by PLASTIC Collective in collaboration with theViborg Animation Festival (VAF), brings together distinguished artists and researchers toexplore the multifaceted realms of engagement and research in
Event Details
The VAF Digital ArtSymposium, hosted by PLASTIC Collective in collaboration with theViborg Animation Festival (VAF), brings together distinguished artists and researchers toexplore the multifaceted realms of engagement and research in digital art and animation.Led by producer Lana Tankosa Nikolic and creative director Martina Scarpelli, this eventpromises to be a profound exploration of how artistic expression can be a dynamic force forinnovation, collaboration, and societal impact.
Schedule
9:00 AM – 10:15 AM: Engagement in Animation and Digital Art
In conversation with four digital artists, we delve into the concept of engagement in animation and digital art. This segment highlights:
- Engagement as a Space of Collaboration: Artists and audiences co-create narratives, fostering mutual interaction and evolving stories.
- Engagement as a Call to Action: Immersive experiences that stimulate long-term shifts in perspectives.
- Engagement as Participation: Encouraging active visitor contribution, deepening their connection to the artwork and its themes.
Speakers:
Total Refusal: A pseudo-Marxist media guerrilla group that repurposes video games to uncover political undercurrents within mainstream media textures.
Leon Butler: A visual narrative designer and filmmaker exploring adaptive interactions, generative typography, and immersive experiences using data-driven methodologies.
Mads Vadsholt: A game designer with a passion for sound design, VR, and interactive experiences.
Moderator:
Jürgen Hagler: A veteran in animation and digital arts, Jürgen is a researcher, professor, curator, and festival director whose expertise has significantly shaped the field.
10:15 AM – 10:45 AM: Break
10:45 AM – 12:00 PM: Artistic Research in Animation: A Panel Discussion
Join us for an in-depth panel discussion with Sune Petersen and Matej Rot, moderated by Alex Widdowson. This segment explores the intersection of technology, science, and creativity in shaping contemporary digital art and animation.
Ticket
This event is a part of VAF PRO
Read more about VAF PRO and get your accreditation here
Speakers for this event
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Alex Widdowson
Alex Widdowson
Filmmaker, academic, and festival director.
Doctor Alex Widdowson is a UK/Denmark based filmmaker, academic, and festival director. He recently completed his PhD on animated documentary ethics at Queen Mary University of London. He is best known for his short animated documentary films about neurodiversity, disability and psychology, which have collectively won 13 international awards. He leads the team that organises Factual Animation Film Festival and is currently working on his first feature, an animated documentary about the neurodiversity movement.w
Filmmaker, academic, and festival director.
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Juergen Hagler
Juergen Hagler
Researcher and curator at the interface of animation, game, and media art.
Researcher and curator at the interface of animation, game, and media art.
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Leon Butler
Leon Butler
Artist, designer and educator
Leon Butler is an artist, designer and educator based in Galway City working at the intersection of art and technology. Leon´s work has been recognised by The Type Directors Club, 100 Archive, the Future Makers awards, Digital Media awards, Young Directors Awards and the Irish Design Awards. Recent shows include Emperor 101 (SxSW, Dublin Theatre Festival, Boca Del Lopo, Vancouver), Shelter and Place (Cork Midsummer), Desired (Los Angeles). Has completed residencies with SVA New York, 72andSunny in LA, Adobe, SnapChat and Science Gallery. He has been Research Fellow at University Galway 2016, Designer in Residence in Otis College of Art, Leah Hoffmitz Milken Fellow at ArtCenter College of Design 2022 and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts since 2021. He has exhibited work both nationally and internationally and received a number of commissions and research funding from the Arts Council, European Media Arts platform, Enterprise Ireland, the National Sculpture Factory, the Digital Hub and the Science Gallery. Leon was a Selected Artist of the European Media Arts platform 2022 with RIXC Centre for New Media Culture, Riga. The work, Performance Surveillance premiered at the Biennale WRO, Wrocławin May 2023, before showing at NEME, Cyprus June 2023, and a solo show at RIXC, Center for New Media Art, Latvia from July to September. Leon latest work is Dwelling an XR Dance performance and installation which premiered as part of the Beta Festival Dublin in November 2023 and will show as part of the Galway Film Fleadh 2024.
500 characters – attempt
Leon Butler is an artist, designer, and educator based in Galway City, working at the intersection of art and technology. His work has been recognized by the Type Directors Club, 100 Archive, Future Makers Awards, Digital Media Awards, Young Directors Awards, and Irish Design Awards. Leon’s recent exhibitions include Emperor 101 (Dublin Theatre Festival, SxSW), Shelter and Place (Cork Midsummer), and Desired (Los Angeles). He has completed residencies with SVA New York, 72andSunny LA, Adobe, SnapChat, and Science Gallery. Leon has been a Research Fellow at University Galway, and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts since 2021. His latest work, an XR dance performance and installation, premiered at Beta Festival Dublin and will be featured at Galway Film Fleadh 2024.Artist, designer and educator
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Mads Vadsholt
Mads Vadsholt
Digital artist and game designer
Mads Vadsholt is a digital artist and game designer based in Copenhagen. During his studies at The Animation Workshop, Mads began creating video games, which paved the way for founding his own studio, Mads & Friends in 2016. In 2022, he launched his first game title, The Forest Quartet, which has been released on multiple platforms to critical success. The game was mentioned by The Guardian, exhibited at The Smithsonian American Art Museum and won an IGF for Excellence in Audio, during GDC 2023. Mads has also won the UNESCO Creative City Price for his creative entrepreneurship as well as promoting Viborg as a creative hub. He’s currently working on two unannounced titles.
Digital artist and game designer
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Mateja Rot
Mateja Rot
Urban innovator, architect of peace and artist
Urban innovator, architect of peace and artist Teja Rot builds solutions for global communities and improves the livelihood of spaces through artistic and architectural interventions. She works at the intersection of community activism, urban design, sustainable architecture, environmental arts and technology and advocates user related solutions that enable environmentally friendly living.
Urban innovator, architect of peace and artist
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Sune Petersen
Sune Petersen
Artist
Sune Petersen is an artist creating sound and visual experiences through chaotic systems, sonifying live video images, and transforming phenomena like radio noise from fluorescent lights into sensory art. He has developed live visual instruments and worked on short films exploring sonification of the video image. During his leukemia treatment (2018-2021), he collected blood data for use in his short film “Story in Blood.” He has performed and exhibited at various festivals and venues worldwide.
Artist
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Total Refusal
Total Refusal
Artist collective
Total Refusal – is a self-proclaimed pseudo-marxist artist collective from Austria, taking a new spin on wellknown games such as Red Dead Redemption and Grand Theft Auto. Through machinima short films, performances and exhibitions Total refusal challenges the classical narrative and design in a world of media, games and movies.
Artist collective
