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The Prix Ars Electronica Archive is a collection enabling search and viewing of all the submissions since 1987. The award-winning projects are documented with catalogue texts and audio-visual media. All other submissions can be searched by title/artist and displayed with year, category in list form. Please cite the credits (artwork name, artist and photographer) and only use the materials if your article is related to Ars Electronica.
Power Surge
Keith Hunter
Original: PR_1992_PowerSurge_001_o.JPG | 902 * 654px | 337.5 KB
Original: PR_1992_PowerSurge_002_o.JPG | 981 * 647px | 398.7 KB
Original: PR_1992_PowerSurge_003_o.JPG | 896 * 654px | 380.5 KB
Original: PR_1992_PowerSurge_004_o.JPG | 974 * 647px | 419.4 KB
Original: Power Surge | 4429 * 3024px | 42.6 MB
Original: Power Surge | 4429 * 3024px | 42.6 MB
Original: Power Surge | 4429 * 3024px | 42.6 MB
Original: Power Surge | 4429 * 3024px | 42.6 MB
Original: Power Surge | 4429 * 3024px | 42.6 MB
Original: Power Surge | 4429 * 3024px | 42.6 MB
'Power Surge' was created with the intent of providing an experience that is vaguely defined, to allow each viewer to uniquely interpret the piece according to his/her own experiences. A particle program originally designed to simulate traffic, was used to create the wildly circulating particles of the entity. The idea behind this was to generate an amorphous form that isn't immediately recognizable as an individual entity.
The form of the individual is discovered only after the viewer looks at enough of the animation. It is this sense of discovery that allows the viewer to interpret his/her own unique connection to the experience. In reality the entity is made of five particle groups instead of just one. This allows the torso and legs to be animated individually. The interesting thing is that each of these groups is exactly the same as the others and each group only contains 25 particles. What makes the particle groups look dissimilar is scaling and lighting. The idea behind this is that refined simplicity can create the illusion of complexity. (Keith Hunter)
Technical Background
HW / SW: Silicon Graphics 4D/280, Rhythm & Hues
The form of the individual is discovered only after the viewer looks at enough of the animation. It is this sense of discovery that allows the viewer to interpret his/her own unique connection to the experience. In reality the entity is made of five particle groups instead of just one. This allows the torso and legs to be animated individually. The interesting thing is that each of these groups is exactly the same as the others and each group only contains 25 particles. What makes the particle groups look dissimilar is scaling and lighting. The idea behind this is that refined simplicity can create the illusion of complexity. (Keith Hunter)
Technical Background
HW / SW: Silicon Graphics 4D/280, Rhythm & Hues
Keith Hunter (USA), B.S. Architecture, The Ohio State University, 1990; MdeSS Architecture- CAD, Harvard University, 1991; currently employed at Rhythm & Hues.