The following are the works of 18 winning artists introduced this time.

——Gold Award——

《Virtual Nature Study》

Zheng Haiyu

Works Introduction:

The series of works "Research on Virtual Nature" aims to express the narrative concept of "Void and Silence" through digital art. The scenes are set in spring and summer to explore the various wonderful creatures in nature and use them as a strong carrier to connect people and nature. The works hope to blur the boundaries between humans and nature in a poetic way, and make us who are outside of nature disappear into it and become part of nature. Poetically live in virtual nature, feel the warmth of the sun, feel the sound of the breeze, feel the subtle changes in nature between breaths, and feel a "real sense of unreality".

——Silver Award—— 

《Multi-Flora》

Xu Zean,Deng Jiaquan,Zhu Jiayi,Zhongzhi

Works Introduction:

The Multi-Flora series is a digital work created by Sanwuhuatan in 2023.

Using CG technology to realize the dynamic art of hyper-realistic species, the Multi-Flora virtual plant series demonstrates the diversity and ecological awareness of virtual plants and inspires the audience to think. This series takes this as the source and creates MR mixed reality city concept images with multiple urban buildings to express the concept of symbiosis between cities and virtual plants!

This work was invited to be exhibited in the "Spirit of Mountains and Seas" Yuyuan Lantern Festival in France in February 2024 in the form of naked-eye 3D.

《Nature Sanctuary 3000》

Sreeshna Sowmya

Works Introduction:

In a dystopian future where humanity's reliance on technology threatens to consume the natural world,a solitary traveller discovers a hidden sanctuary amidst the urban sprawl.Here,he encounters a mesmerizing fusion where flora thrives in harmony with technology.The deeper he ventures,the more he realizes his truth,challenging his preconceived assumptions about the relationship between humanity,nature,and technology.

Inourfast-paced present environment,technology races ahead,making life easier,but this rapid progress comes at a cost.The way we develop and use these technologies can drastically alter and even destroy natural habitats.Incontrast,mywork,'NatureSanctuary 3000,'explores a juxtaposition of speed and stillness,highlighting the balance between the relentless advancement of technology and the enduring essence of nature.This project was conceived within the "Exploration of AI Generated Art,"an interdisciplinary course offered at Nanyang Technological University's School of Art,Design,and Media.

《CRISPR Chronicles》

Lee Chaewon Nicole

Works Introduction:

Gene editing is a revolutionary set of technologies enabling scientists to modify an organism's DNA. Among these, the widely used CRISPR-Cas9 system stands out for being faster, more cost-effective, and precise compared to other methods.

This project, “CRISPR Chronicles,” delves into the unforeseen modifications and the metaphorical future of gene editing. It raises a fundamental question: Is this advancement truly beneficial, or is it a potential glitch in the history of science?

Gene editing essentially involves extracting data from genes and modifying them. But does this process introduce bugs or faults? Are we modifying for the better, or are we creating more problems within our biological systems? Could these glitches be seen as faults in a system, leading to unforeseen consequences?

From a dystopian and cynical perspective, we examine the impact of medical technology. The abstract perspective is illustrated by the visual metaphor of cells blooming, representing the growth in modification possibilities, yet hinting at the potential for bugs.

“CRISPR Chronicles” offers a fruitful thought for society, encouraging us to reflect on the profound implications of gene editing. It asks whether this technological advancement is a triumph or a troubling glitch in our pursuit of scientific progress.

《Beyond the Funky》

Ayça Tugran

Works Introduction:

Beyond the Funky suggests a move towards a more holistic and integrated understanding of the world, celebrating the diversity and complexity that lie beyond the familiar, that is somehow uncanny. It navigates through environments symbolizing various degrees of human influence and natural integration. The story begins in sterile, human-dominated spaces, here, animals appear as mere resources, their existence tamed by the demands of capitalism—artificial, static, and disconnected. Through photogrammetry, the depicted spaces are drawn from the artist’s daily life, grounding abstract concepts in tangible reality. These scenes critique capitalist entanglements that reduce life to mere resources, highlighting conditions that both bind and threaten biodiversity. In a kitchen, pet dogs embody the human desire for companionship, their roles strictly defined by domestic settings. The supermarket houses farm chickens, reduced to mere commodities, their lives dictated by the insatiable human appetite for consumption. Within a shopping mall, zoo elephants symbolize exotic entertainment, their majestic presence confined to artificial displays of curiosity. A church shelters farm cows, sanctifying agricultural exploitation. In a cemetery, beloved horses lie buried alongside their owners, freed from the burdens of their lives. The juxtaposition of a well-designed garden with aquarium fishes reflects the human penchant for aesthetic control, transforming vibrant creatures into ornamental elements. Eventually, the animation immerses us in untamed realms: dense forests and the mysterious depths of the ocean. These vibrant ecosystems teem with diverse life forms the resilience and adaptability found in precarious, encounter-rich environments.

——Bronze Award——

《The man without gravity》

-Zheng Yanran, Lei Hanyi, Wang Mengcheng-

Works Introduction:

"Man Without Gravity" is a set of video, series and articles, a trinity of comprehensive creation. Gravity, the power generated by the birth of a celestial body, comes from the core of the planet. All human survival and production activities are affected by gravity, so humans and gravity are inseparable. However, we have never stopped fantasizing about getting rid of gravity. We took this as a starting point and studied the history of human flight from the perspective of gravity and humans. We found that how humans get rid of the shackles of gravity and fly into deep space is essentially the development of human technological history. Therefore, the 33 flight histories are presented as an important purpose, translated one by one, and made separate "biographies" with text and characters as support. A unique style and character design is created with rational scientific principles and ramblings and calm imagination, and these characters form an object field that leaves the earth. We try to explore an interdisciplinary text and interdisciplinary existence that integrates the history of human flight and contemporary art. How to resist gravity? This is an eternal question for mankind.

《Time worship》

Jiang Xiaoyi, Xu Jiayi, Chen Haolong

Works Introduction:

A long time ago, before the "Time Teller" appeared, there were no clocks. This was a time when time could not be judged. People's observation of time came from the movement of celestial bodies, physical reactions and mechanical laws. Until one day, a factory produced the world's first "clock", which could accurately calculate every moment of time, which was beyond the limits of nature. The designer of the "clock", this great invention should be worshipped, and time should be worshipped. He gave the clock an image. The people in this world have the same appearance, and the clock represents people like their integration. It was sent into the sky by the factory to tell time for people all over the world. It was called the "Time Teller". As the giant object took off, people went from being amazed and enthusiastic to the people of the whole city spontaneously following the footsteps of time and unwilling to leave. But in the end, the "Time Teller" was sent to the garbage dump by people themselves and forgotten by the people who loved it. The worship disappeared.

《Codename-Capybara》

Huang Yuchao, Zhang Jiejie, Zhen Lingjing, Deng Bin, Li Junlong, Lü Xinxin, Yan Liushan

《Habitat》

Kevin Blackistone

Works Introduction:

This work presents a metaphor to terrestrial resource limitations through the more limited environment of the terrarium as positioned floating through space. It has frequently been considered that our quest for exponential growth in all things is innately unsustainable. Meanwhile, many consider space colonization a potential solution to these limits. Yet, these extraterrestrial habitats pose even more severe limits on the resource availability that the human species has already demonstrated an inability to work within, even on the much greater planetary scale. Meanwhile, terrariums have long shown their capacity as (mostly) self-regulating within their confined condition. Perhaps these would provide more realistic candidates for space colonization than the human organism. Furthermore, one could do well to consider that the earth is itself merely a more massive and diverse terrarium, flying through space, even with its far greater resources being nonetheless finite. 

《Coexistence & Creation-Dongfangkuma·Jinshuiwen》

Dai Yanliang, Gao Fansong, Sun Yuanzheng, Zhou Yufan

Works Introduction:

There is a concept in Chinese painting called "creating a scene with the heart", that is, painting is designed with heart, and is a delicate interpretation of the real world. It is a kind of imagination that is completely beyond nature, so it conveys a kind of "virtual scene". In this work, I consciously "recreate" nature with my understanding of nature, manage the picture with rational thinking, and use the power of numbers to construct a simple but meaningful language, with the purpose of better conveying the atmosphere of "there is a thread and there is no confusion". Through the thinking of creating a scene, a multi-dimensional "scene" that condenses time and space is created, so "there is no one in the scene, but there are people everywhere".

《Walk, run, and fly》

Zou Zhuoyue

Works Introduction:

In the intersection of virtuality and reality, we walk slowly with our heads down on the established track, and the only thing that can drive us forward is numbness. Unlocking the chains of the moon, pointing to the life that is off track, all a priori and experience are no longer reliable, and the only reliable thing is the original power brought by the urgency of life, running to compose music, that is the symphony of destiny written for myself. In the dream, I flew up, the moon scattered in the wilderness, and the huge light enveloped me. It was not the inspiration of hope for the future, but the call of the current reality.

——Special Award——

 Best Applicability

《Sync.Hive》

Luca Alessandro Dünkel、Kim Le

Works Introduction:

“Sync.Hive” describes the invisible role of swarm behavior and magnetoreception in nature.  Although they are two independent phenomena, they often have overlapping functions and can  synchronize. This synchronization is crucial for the coordination, cohesion, and survival of various  organisms. Swarm behavior coordinates the positions and movements within a group. Magnetoreception, on  the other hand, serves many organisms as a means of navigation and orientation, enabled by the  Earth's magnetic field. A beehive serves as a symbol of this project. The phenomena and elements of a beehive are  combined and represented in an abstract form. A swarm of organisms leaves the beehive,  absorbs environmental influences, and responds to them through changes in form and state. A current debate revolves around whether human technologies, such as electromagnetic  pollution from high-voltage power lines and wireless communication systems, can disrupt the  natural magnetoreception of living beings.

 Best Idea

《Whispering Winds Warring Souls》

Wu Jiaxin

Best Innovation

《MAY WE MEET IN THE WIDER UNIVERSE FREELY》

RolinYuxing Dai

Works Introduction:

We could be both the center of the universe and the next fleeting moment  within it. We perceive the cosmos through our individual lens, seeing it as a  reflection of our own existence. Despite our self-centered cosmology, we are  interconnected by invisible threads. These countless threads pull us together,  not in straight lines, but in winding and overlapping layers, weaving a tapestry  of shared experiences and emotions. In this grand tapestry of existence, every  thread, every moment, every connection, offers a glimpse into the vastness of  our shared reality. Through this piece, I want to explore the profound interconnectedness of all  beings. The figures and scenes in the video are generated using artificial  intelligence, representing a convergence of human imagination and machine  creativity. Although these images are products of computer algorithms, they  exemplify a broader concept of humanity and the possibility of life differ from  our planet and universe. I aim to propose a dialogue that extends beyond the  digital realm, fostering a sense of unity among diverse existences. Thus, the  piece seeks to transcend the boundaries of the screen, inviting the audience to  connect with the virtual world and even the worlds beyond.

Best Applicability 

《Cansei》

Ballestrieri Gianmarco, Bellucci Benedetta, Bozzato Giacomo, Pezzini Claudia, Beatrice Ulivi