CAAD multimedia design students put AUS on the map at Ars Electronica in Linz, Austria

A group of multimedia design students and alumni from the College of Architecture, Art and Design (CAAD) at American University of Sharjah have represented the UAE’s thriving contemporary multimedia design scene at Ars Electronica, one of the world’s most renowned festivals for art, technology and society, which recently took place Linz, Austria.

Salma Ibrahim, Sahar Baniabbasi (with support of Laura Grant, Carol Bebawy and Slama Ibrahim) and Tasneem Alfatah presented their work to an audience of 88,000 visitors at the Ars Electronica Campus Exhibition, along with 1,542 artists, scientists, developers, designers and activists and 56 international universities from 88 countries.

Running since 1979, the Ars Electronica Festival is a forum for commentary and analysis of the Digital Revolution that aims to address central questions of the future and focus on new technologies and how they change the way we live and work together. This year’s Campus Exhibition celebrated the power of creativity, collaboration and exploration in shaping our shared future, with participants showcasing work in response to the provocative question: “Who owns the truth?”

Collaborating with Festival X Next Gen, Associate Professor Zlatan Filipovic incorporated the theme of Ars Electronica into a MUM 302 studio course in Spring 2023 and worked alongside the students over the past year as a mentor and advisor.

“Being selected to present in a festival like Ars Electronic opens up horizons for our students, and it was an opportunity to put AUS on the map of the contemporary art and design world. This is also a recognition of the value and quality of our student work as well as our program and I hope that this will turn into a more permanent presentation of AUS and CAAD at this event and others like it,” said Filipovic.

Both Ibrahim and Baniabbasi’s participation was supported by AUS via the Art and Design Undergraduate Research Grant program, which aims to enable and mobilize CAAD students in developing studio work in the areas of multimedia design, visual communication and design management.

Salma Ibrahim’ work Calibeaute is an interactive installation that dives into the dark underbelly of toxic beauty standards. Through augmented reality (AR) technology, users experience first-hand the power of a deceptive filter as it transforms their appearance into an unattainable, artificially “perfect” version of themselves. As the experience builds towards its climax, the host presents an ultimatum: Relinquish your life savings in pursuit of eternal beauty, or confront the societal pressure to conform and embrace your true self.

“Calibeaute exposes the deceptive tactics of the beauty industry, shining a spotlight on the detrimental impact of societal pressure, and encouraging participants to question and reject the unattainable standards forced upon us. It offers a space for introspection, empowerment and a reimagining of what true beauty can mean in a world obsessed with superficiality,” she said.

“The opportunity to exhibit my work in person at Ars Electronica in Austria was definitely encouraging, especially seeing it exhibited alongside work by leading and emerging designers from around the world. It was also fascinating to see how everyone answered the question ‘Who owns the truth?’ in such different and diverse ways,” said Ibrahim.

UAE audiences will have their own chance to see the students’ work at the upcoming Festival X (AE), which will be held at Alserkal Avenue October 6-8, 2023. The annual exhibition will celebrate the diverse narratives that contribute to our understanding of the truth. The event will be presented by Festival X director Amin Davaei and co-curated by Martin Honzik, Ars Electronica Chief Curatorial Officer; Managing Director of Ars Electronica Festival, Prix, and Exhibitions; Martin Honzik, artist, CCO (Chief Curatorial Officer) of Ars Electronica Linz and Managing Director of the Ars Electronica’s Festival, Prix and Export. 

For more information about the College of Architecture, Art and Design at American University of Sharjah, visit w.aus.edu/caad. To learn more about Festival X, visit https://festivalx.ae/2023/next-gen.