Electric Artefacts marks its Launch with the Opening of the Inaugural Show

24th September 2020 marked the launch of Electric Artefacts, a new online venue to connect digital artists with patrons, and resource an artist's continued exploration of the intersection of art, technology and society. The launch takes place with the opening of the Inaugural Show, a group exhibition presenting established digital artists and new series of works by emerging talent. Visitors can explore the online exhibition and have the opportunity to purchase works by participating artists.

Long considered the 'outsider' of the art world, digital art has gained its momentum in recent years on an institutional level. Universities have introduced courses on theory, practice and preservation of the medium while leading galleries and museums launched incubators with a focus on new technologies. Unlike the traditional art market, the market for digital art is yet to establish an ecosystem of value generation. Electric Artefacts aims to foster an environment to support artists in the field by providing a space to discover talent.

AR previews, rich artwork information and interactive view modes will be some of the elements introduced to offer artists and users a tailored experience. "While the amount of initiatives and artists is increasing exponentially, if you ask your neighbour, they would seldom know what digital is. We seek to present quality works in a meaningful way, allowing both knowledgeable and new audience to discover something new without feeling overwhelmed," comments Aleksandra Artamonovskaja, Electric Artefacts Co-Founder.
‍

The Inaugural Show includes a diverse selection of established and emerging digital artists curated by Aleksandra Artamonovskaja and Danner Milliken, cultural strategist and curator. The exhibition features one of the pioneers of generative art, Munich-based A.I. artist Mario Klingemann. His latest offline group show includes "Neurons, simulated intelligence" at the Centre Pompidou in Paris. Among artists exploring the applications of machine learning in the show are also Moises Sanabria and Fabiola Larios, both presenting a new series of works, as well as Jake Elwes with his award-winning piece CUSP.

A premiere of large-scale works by Stepan Ryabchenko is another highlight of the opening. "In themes and motives of his work Stepan Ryabchenko always gravitates to the fundamental - mythology, spirituality, nature" writes Natalia Matsenko, art critic. She describes his work "A virtual utopia, where prosperity and harmony reign, not knowing the interventions, smoothly emerging from the ocean of possibilities."

Sophie Rogers, London-based artist whose works were exhibited in exhibitions at Barbican Centre and Tate Modern, presents Plasticity Bundles. The bundles offer the buyer a set of Zoom, Smartphone and Desktop backgrounds – a natural progression of digital art collecting for the 21st Century.  

Conveying the extraordinary diversity that characterizes the medium of digital art, each artist brings an innovative exploration of technology, data, and space, in which abstract and figurative elements combine to offer impressions of both the online and offline realms.

"Emerging artists were the most searched out for me, and I like to find the ones with talent that no one has really gotten a hold of yet, that deserve it. This super-focused curation is one that I have always wanted to show from my days of being an artist and more. From these different experiences, I gathered exactly what needed to be seen by the public." comments Danner Milliken.

The group exhibition is organized in collaboration with Lumen Art Projects, a Wales-based not-for-profit dedicated to providing opportunities for artists creating with technology. Lumen Art Projects, the home of the annual Lumen Prize for Art and Technology, has developed a global network of over 400 artists working across the spectrum of creative technology. All have either won or been shortlisted or longlisted for The Lumen Prize since its launch in 2012. It works with venues, institutions and festivals globally to provide commissioned work, exhibitions, and events showcasing the very best art created with technology.

It's no surprise that Electric Artefacts' has chosen seven of its artists to participate in its Inaugural show, including 2018 Lumen Prize Gold Winner Mario Klingemann and 2018 finalist Jake Elwes. "Lumen Art Projects is proud to be part of this exciting initiative," comments Carla Rapoport, Executive Director and Founder of Lumen Art Projects. "We know there are collectors who love the work our artists produce but it's been difficult finding the right kind of platform to showcase their work. Electric Artefacts, we hope, will provide that platform, benefiting both the collector and the artists who are creating their work with today's exciting digital tools."

‍

You can visit the show here: https://electricartefacts.art

‍