Like every year, Ars Electronica Animation Festival On Tour showcases recent artistic trends in the field of digital animation. The selection compiled of the submissions at Prix Ars Electronica 2024 in its recently renewed category New Animation Art demonstrates the transformations and dynamics occurring within the field of animation. Even more strongly than previous years, one could observe the tendency of many creators to utilize specific tools (such as Stable Diffusion, Midjourney, DALL-E, Sora, Runway, or ChatGPT) in a self-reflexive manner enabling critical commentary on the socio-technical nature of these systems and their impact on our society. Moreover, we noticed that a remarkable one-third of the submissions were projects created using AI tools or centered around AI as a theme—the highest number to date. From the nearly 900 submissions, around 45 projects were selected and showcased at Ars Electronica Animation Festival in September 2024. More than a half of them have been included in the On Tour program, and available now as four outstanding compilations: Best-Of Prix Ars Electronica, Austrian Animation, Young Animations, Science and Data Visualizations.
一如往年,奧地利Ars Electronica動畫節巡禮展示數位動畫的最新藝術動向;是次入圍的作品均為2024年電子藝術大奬 (Prix Ars Electronica)的新動畫藝術組別的作品,它們展現了動畫領域的轉變與動向。與前幾年相比,我們可以觀察到許多創作者傾向於利用特定工具(如Stable Diffusion、Midjourney、DALL-E、Sora、Runway或ChatGPT等)進行自我反思,並且對這些系統的社會技術本質及其對社會的影響進行批判性評論。此外,我們注意到三分之一的參賽作品均使用了AI工具或以AI為主題去進行創作,這是動畫節迄今為止最高的比例紀錄。 從900件參賽作品中挑選了45件入選作品,並於2024年9月的Ars Electronica動畫藝術節中展出。其中超過半數作品被納入是次巡禮計劃中,並分為四部作品集,包括:最佳電子藝術獎作品選、奧地利動畫精選集、年輕動畫集以及科學與數據視覺化合輯等。
Ars Electronica is a platform working at the intersection of art, technology and society through organizing exhibitions, educational programmes and research projects focused on the future of our societies. Founded in 1979 in Linz as a festival it has since expanded to include a laboratory, an award and a museum dedicated to the study and promotion of media arts and digital culture.
Ars Electronica是一個連結藝術、科技及社會的平台,通過展覽、教育及研究項目探討我們社會的未來。藝術節於1979年在奧地利林茲成立,及後擴展成立實驗室、大奬賽及藝術館,並致力於研究及推廣媒體藝術及數位文化。 ars.electronica.art
This Prix Ars Electronica Best-Of program includes 8 animations, 6 of which were awarded prizes in 2024’s competition. The two Golden Nica winners, one Award of Distinction and three Honorary Mentions provide an excellent snapshot of the current landscape of animation art. Most of these works use novel technologies to deliver compelling socio-political commentary and make incisive reflections on pressing issues of our time: climate emergency, data surveillance, the invisible human labor that goes into training AI systems, the erosion of image credibility, the commodification of transnational education, as well as the need for fresh visions of culture, nature, and space. Two additional works enrich the program of award-winning projects, one delving into the quantum realities of our multidimensional universe, and the other unfolding a poignant tale of friendship and transformation.
是次精選集包括八部動畫作品,其中六部為2024年獲奬作品;兩位為金尼卡首奬得主、一位卓越奬得主以及三位優異作品得主,他們的作品為當今動畫藝術提供了一個極佳的縮影寫照。這些作品大多運用嶄新的技術,傳達引人入勝的社會政治評論觀點,並對當代迫切議題進行精闢的反思,例如氣候危機、資料監控、人工智能訓練系統中的隱形人體勞動、影像可信度的侵蝕、跨國教育商品化,以及對文化、自然和空間的新視野需求等。另外兩部入選作品則豐富了是次節目的內容光譜;一部深入探討我們多維宇宙的量子現實,另一部則展現了友誼與轉變的淒美故事。
Smoke and Mirrors is an unusual blend of music video and science visualisation. This short and poignant work emphasizes the magnitude of the climate crisis, by presenting not only scientific facts about global warming but also the dangerous ideological positions which have been denying it over the past few decades. Rising methane levels are therefore illustrated alongside historical advertising slogans employed by oil companies meant to endanger credibility of climate emergency. The visualization is based on NASA’s Blue Marble image and set to Oh My Heart, which was released as the world’s first bioplastic record by Beatie Wolfe.
《煙霧與鏡子》是結合音樂錄影帶及科學數據視覺化的作品。影片通過呈現全球暖化的科學事實,精悍地強調出氣候危機的重要性,並展現過去數十年來否認全球暖化的危險意識形態。甲烷含量上升同時與石油公司為了危及氣候危機的緊急情況的可信度而使用的歷史廣告口號並行,作品以美國NASA的Blue Marble圖像為基礎,並結合了創作者發行的全球首張生物塑膠唱片《喎,我的心》(Oh My Heart)而推出。

Unknown Quantum Objects is an experimental animation exploring 13 of the 64 dimensions believed to exist beyond the three established space-time dimensions. Through animation, Bavari enables us direct experience of an otherwise highly theoretical and abstract concept. He provides a visual representation of concepts that lack tangible visual forms but can be imaginatively brought to understanding through this medium.
《未知量子物體》是一部實驗性動畫,旨在探索64維度中的其中13個,這些維度被認為存在於三個既定的時空維度以外。通過作品,創作者讓觀者直接體驗原本高度理論化的抽象概念;他以視覺化的方程式呈現了一些缺乏實體視覺形式的概念。

Stained is a short speculative CGI film depicting a utopian future where America’s landscapes are transformed by Black culture. The film follows a sensitive tea master that uses colored flora to mark territory. Based in a world where symbiotic relationships with technology allow Black Americans to transform “natural” and synthetic environments.
《鏽蝕》是一部描繪烏托邦式未來的CGI短片,內容主軸以美國景觀如何受黑人文化而改變出發。作品講述一位富有靈感的茶藝師運用彩色植物去標註領土的故事,而在那個世界裡,科技的共生關係讓美國黑人能夠改造「自然」與人工合成的環境。

In Bye Bear we step into a decaying 1980s motel, where a group of unusual friends gathers for one last celebration. At the heart of the party is Bear—a robot with an unusual dream: to shed its metallic shell and become a real bear. Bye Bear is a surreal story about friendship, transformation, change, and the ceremony of a long goodbye. The friends celebrate together and bid each other farewell. Bear's transformation into a real bear reaches its conclusion on this very night.
在《再見,熊啤啤》中,我們走進一間1980年代的破舊汔車旅館,一群不同尋常的朋友聚集於此,一起進行最後的慶祝活動。派對的核心人物是一只小熊,他是擁有不尋常夢想的機器人;在褪去其金屬外殻後,他會變成一只真正的熊。這是一部講述友誼、轉變以及永別的儀式的超現實作品;朋友間一起慶祝,相互道別,而小熊最後搖身一變成為真正的熊,一切都在一個晚上內完成。

Thank you for your Souvenir, UK! shows the experience of a Chinese student who spends a year in the UK grappling with cultural displacement and a sense of non belonging. Through this deeply personal film, the artist poses an essential question: are international students valued as contributors to the system, or are they merely being exploited as resources? The film’s raw and honest portrayal will resonate with anyone who has ever felt like an outsider.
《感謝您的紀念品》展述了一名中國留學生在英國生活一年的經歷,留學生努力克服文化的流離與非歸屬感。通過這部富有個人色彩的影片,創作者提出一個很重要的問題:國際留學生作為體系的貢獻者而被受重視,還是被當作資源而受到剝削?作品以原始而真實的描述呈現這個問號,誘發曾受感自己是局外人的觀者產生共鳴。

Unknown Label is a documentary about the experience of online micro-workers from the Global South who annotate images used to train self-driving cars. The film begins with a simple animation illustrating the process of segmentation—a crucial step in AI training where images are divided into distinct objects, such as separating cars from pedestrians or roads. This meticulous task, performed by human workers, allows AI systems to recognize and interact with their environments. The film highlights the discrimination they face, with the animated visuals evolving in complexity to mirror the complexity of the labor. The story culminates in a city-scale 3D data visualization, revealing the hidden human effort behind AI systems.
《未知標籤》是一部關於全球南部線上微型工作者的紀錄片﹐他們專責註解圖像用以訓練自動駕駛汔車。影片以一個簡單呈現分割過程開始,這是一個訓練人工智能的重要步驟,他們把圖像分割為不同的物件 – 將汔車與行人或道路分開。這項由人類工作者執行的細心任務,讓人工智能系統能夠辯識以及與環境互動。作品強調勞動者面對的歧視,動畫視覺效果的複雜性層層演進,反映出當中的勞動的複雜性。故事的高漸是一個城市規模的3D可視化,揭露人工智能系統背後隱藏的人類努力。

The music video for the album "The Hardest Part" by the band Washed Out marks a groundbreaking achievement, as it is the first fully generative video created with OpenAI's SORA text-to-video model. This is why it was awarded the Golden Nica for AI I in Art. Spanning several decades, the video begins in the early 80s and follows a young couple throughout their whole life. By embracing the hallucinatory, dreamlike qualities of SORA, the video manages to capture the fleeting and elusive nature of memories.
樂團專輯《最難的部分》的音樂錄影帶標誌著一個突破性的成就,因為這是第一個完全使用OpenAI的SORA文字轉影片模型所製作的生成式視頻,而這正是它榮獲人工智能藝術組別的金尼卡首奬的原因。影片內容跨越數十年,由80年代早期開始,跟隨一對年輕夫婦的一生;作品通過SORA的幻覺、夢幻特質而生成,成功捕捉到回憶轉瞬即逝而難以捉摸的本質。

Duck is an unusual deepfake short film set in the iconic world of James Bond. Featuring AI-generated portrayals of Sean Connery, Marilyn Monroe, and other stars, the animation introduces the audience to a seemingly familiar, yet in fact never-before-seen reality, where the fixed definition of identity and the reliability of history and news are continuously questioned. This witty yet unsettling display of deepfake mastery is sure to leave you jaw-dropping in astonishment.
《鴨子》是一部不尋常的深度偽造短片,以詹士邦的經典故事世界為背景。影片以AI生成的辛康納利及瑪麗連‧夢露及其他明星作為主題,將觀者帶進看似熟悉但實則前所未見的像實世界中;在那裡,身份的固定定義、歷史以及新聞的可靠性不斷被受質疑。這部詼諧又令人不安的深度偽造作品,一定會令觀者瞠目結舌,大吃一驚。

In Seoul, showing emotions is discouraged. Dong-jin works as a call-center counselor. One day, he receives an unusual call. Their conversations break the rules. Slowly, forbidden feelings start to grow. For the first time, he decides to follow his own heart.
在首爾,人們不鼓勵表露情感。東鎮在客戶服務中心工作。有一天,他接到一個不尋常的來電,他們的對話破壞了本來的規矩,禁忌的情感漸生,這是第一次他追隨自己的心。
Transmissions explores the intersection of sound and vision, reimagining the tradition of visual music through contemporary digital tools. This experimental work transforms an original audio composition into intricate generative imagery, bridging the sensory space between hearing and seeing. The visuals are drawn from the graphical interface of the sound itself, captured and interpreted through AI-assisted animation. The result is a fluid interplay of abstract forms and fleeting figurative moments, set against a stark black backdrop. Delicate lines, luminous shapes, and ghostlike faces emerge and dissolve, their movement closely tied to the rhythm and texture of the audio. Inspired by mid-20th century visual music pioneers, Transmissions engages themes of sensory synthesis and perceptual ambiguity. It invites viewers to consider how sound might be seen, offering a meditative space where structure and chaos coexist, echoing the complexity of sound itself.
《傳輸》探索聲音與視覺的交滙,運用當代數位工具重新詮釋視覺音樂的傳統。這部實驗短片將原創音樂作品轉化成精緻的生成影像‧在聽覺與視覺之間構建一個感官世界。視覺元素源自聲音本身的圖形介面,通過人工智能輔助而轉化成動畫。 最終所呈現的是抽象形態以及轉瞬即逝具象瞬間的流暢互動,一切在純黑背景上交織演繹。裡面的纖細線條、發光形體及幽靈面容浮現又消散,其律動緊密呼應音頻的節奏與質地。受二十世紀中葉視覺音樂先驅的啓發,《傳輸》探討感官合成與知覺模糊性,引領觀者思考聲音的可視化可能,營造結構與混沌共存的冥想空間,映照聲音本身的複雜本質。
When we listen to music, each of us delves into our own thoughts that can sometimes cause us pain or make us feel lonely. But we should not forget that when you listen to music, you are never alone because the true beauty of music is that it brings people together.
當我們聆聽音樂,每個人都會沉浸在咱個的想法之內,或時而疼痛時而寂寞,但我們不應該忘記,當我們聆聽音樂,你是永遠不會一個人的,因為音樂真正的美好正正是讓人們凝聚在一起。
I'll paint my nails, pop some bubbly! This AI-generated music video for the Czech duo Čokovoko uses irony and grotesque humor to portray the rituals of getting ready for a class reunion – an event that quickly slips into staged spectacle. What begins as a celebration turns into a surreal performance filled with beautification routines, illusions, and absurd fantasies of success. A retro-futuristic aesthetic sarcastically underscores the contrast between illusion and reality, revealing the pressures of self-presentation in the age of social media.
我要塗指甲油,開瓶香檳慶祝!這支為捷克雙人組合Čokovoko製作的AI生成音樂錄影帶,運用反諷與怪誕幽默描繪同學會前的妝扮儀式——這場聚會迅速淪為精心策劃的表演。原本的慶典逐漸演變成超現實演出,充斥著美容程序、幻象與荒誕的成功幻想。復古未來主義美學以諷刺手法凸顯幻象與現實的對比,揭示社群媒體時代自我呈現的壓力。
This satirical, documentary-style short film humorously explores the quirky, awkward, and often absurd coexistence between androids and humans. Through candid, tongue-in-cheek interviews, humans reveal their bafflement over android logic and etiquette, while androids dryly comment on human inefficiencies, irrational behaviors, and inexplicable emotional dramas. Framed as a mockumentary, the film playfully critiques humanity's self-importance and technological dependency, while highlighting the comedic misunderstandings that arise from bridging the digital-biological divide. Ultimately, it pokes fun at the irony that, in a world increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence, humans might not be the smartest beings in the room after all.
這部諷刺性紀錄片風格的短片,以幽默手法探索人造人與人類之間古怪、尷尬且常帶荒誕的共存狀態。透過坦率而帶調侃意味的訪談,人類坦承對人造人邏輯與禮儀的困惑,而人造人則冷靜評論人類的低效率、非理性行為與難以理解的情感。以偽紀錄片形式呈現,本片以戲謔手法批判人類的自命不凡與科技依賴,同時彰顯跨越數位與生物鴻溝所產生的荒誕誤解,而最終諷刺揭示:在日益由人工智慧塑造的世界裡,人類終究可能並非最聰明的存在。
A haunting animated fable about greed, temptation, and consequence — told through the eerie journey of a lone wanderer who stumbles upon a mysterious gnome and a glowing red gem.
一部關於貪婪、誘惑與後果的詭譎動畫寓言——透過孤獨旅人輾轉邂逅神秘地精與熾紅寶石的旅程娓娓道來。
In a near-future world, humanity has gradually surrendered its emotions, decisions, and identity to artificial systems. Goodbye, World! is a poetic and introspective short film that explores the silent collapse of our species, not through catastrophe, but through 16 indifference. As one woman reflects on what was lost, the film asks: what remains when we no longer recognize what made us human?
在近未來的世界裡,人類逐漸將情感、決策與自我認同交予人工系統;這詩意而內省的短片《再見,世界!》透過十六種冷漠,而非災難,探索我們物種的無聲崩解。當一位女性回顧所失去的一切,影片提出叩問:當我們不再辨識何謂人性,究竟還剩下什麼?