Screengrab 2012
New Media Arts Award Winner
“Ylem”, Jo Lawrence, London, England
Artist’s statement:
Deep inside the World-machine a glitch triggers a terminal malfunction. Time passes and an interplanetary scientist materialises on Earth to collect samples of Ylem from the dead planet. Returning to her laboratory on her home planet she creates a small and perfect facsimile of the world, but the experiment is ultimately flawed. The film was originally produced for 'Random Acts' in response to the theme of apocalypse and was commissioned for Channel 4 by Animate Projects.Ylem from jo lawrence on Vimeo.
Media release:
‘Dead planet’ work nabs arts prize
A work titled Ylem, created by UK video artist Jo Lawrence , has won the 2012 Screengrab New Media Arts Prize at James Cook University. The $5000 prize, which is sponsored by the School of Creative Arts, represents the School’s premier exhibition for the calendar year and attracts artists from around the world working in screen-based media and electronic arts.
Announced at JCU’s eMerge Gallery last Friday, Ylem captured the judge’s attention with its intriguing execution, using this year’s theme “control”.JCU’s Media Arts coordinator Mitch Goodwin said Ylem was a story created in response to the theme of apocalypse. “It is a narrative of ultimate control as a scientist is seen to collect samples from the dead planet – Earth - in order to recreate a facsimile of the world within the confines of her laboratory,” he said. “Ylem animates this controlled experiment which is ultimately flawed.”
Judges Bernadette Ashley, Jak Henson and Dr Steven Campbell awarded the prize after a lengthy deliberation, which saw several other works in contention. These included Invasion Forest (honorary mention), by Chico Santos from Brazil, Piece of Paper by Daniel Schwarz from Germany and Closed Circuit (In the middle of Sweden) by Mattias Hrenstam.Australian artists also featured prominently, including Donna Maree Robinson, whose work investigates the meeting point between the realism of human sensuality and stark digital technology. Benjamin Ducroz for his work Points in Space which represents cycles of repetition by responding to the flow of traffic in Melbourne’s CBD as well as Stephen Lance’s 3D science fiction-inspired video Armor.
Mr Goodwin said there was an unprecedented growth in interest from international and local artists this year, with 171 entries from 21 countries. “The cultural diversity of the works on show is indicative of the Screengrab exhibition’s primary goal, which is to critique screen culture via the very medium which makes the exhibition possible,” he said. “Publicity for the award, the selection of the media works and the acquisition of the shortlisted entries is all conducted exclusively from screen to screen via digital media networks around the world.”
The Screengrab exhibition will be on show at the School of Creative Art’s eMerge Media Space until September 4. Entry is free.
For more information, email gallery@jcu.edu.au or phone (07) 4781 3142.
For the eMerge Gallery opening hours and events calendar, visit www.jcu.edu.au/soca/gallery/
JCU Media contact: Caroline Kaurila (07) 4781 4586 or 0437 028 175
Finalists:
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"From Before Now" Ewelina Aleksandrowicz & Andrzej Wojtas Berlin, Germany |
"Invasion Forest" Chico Santos Londrina, Brazil |
"Closed Circuit (In the middle of Sweden)" Mattias Hrenstam Berlin, Germany |
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"9 states of ambivalence" StefanLarsson OTSU Japan |
"Piece of Paper" Daniel Schwarz Hilzingen, Germany |
"Doors" Dina Kelberman Baltimore, USA |
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"points in space" Benjamin Ducroz Melbourne,Australia |
"Breath" Donna Maree Robinson Freshwater Point,Australia |
"Bye Buy" Neil Bryant Chichester, UK |
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"Armour" Stephen Lance Brisbane, Australia |
"surface ii" Sam Spreckley" Insch, Scotland |
"Street View Supermarket" Liat Berdug Providence, USA |
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"Project Paperclip" Nuno Serro Funchal, Portugal |
"Cousins" Stephen Ausherman Albuquerque, USA |
"Representing Israel-Palestine" Huw Wahl Manchester, UK |
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"Neglected Chaos [OBEY]" Marco De Mutiis Hong Kong |
"Strings" Colby Cannon Welsh Melbourne, Australia |
"With Love, from a Failed Planet" Jason Nelson Clear Island Waters, Australia |