Korean artists have once again been honored at Prix Ars Electronica, one of the most prestigious international competitions in the field of media art.

In 2023, Ayoung Kim drew international attention in the global media art scene by winning the Golden Nica, the top prize in the New Animation Art category. In the same year, SANGHEE received an Award of Distinction, while in 2025, Hoonida Kim received an Honorary Mention.

This year, UJOO+LIMHEEYOUNG and Jungwoo Lee were also selected for Honorary Mentions, further demonstrating the continued presence of Korean media art on one of the world’s most prestigious international stages. Beyond the achievement of individual artists, this recognition can be seen as a meaningful indication that the strength of Korea’s media art ecosystem is being steadily acknowledged internationally.
 
This year’s competition received 4,329 submissions from 106 countries around the world. UJOO+LIMHEEYOUNG received an Honorary Mention in the Interactive Art+ category, while Jungwoo Lee received an Honorary Mention in the New Animation Art category.
 
Although an Honorary Mention is not the top prize, it is an official distinction awarded to works whose artistic quality and originality are recognized by the international jury. As an official recognition granted to outstanding works selected from among thousands of submissions from around the world, this achievement shows that Korean media art continues to be evaluated and acknowledged within a highly competitive international framework.
 
 
 
UJOO+LIMHEEYOUNG, Honorary Mention in Interactive Art+
 
UJOO+LIMHEEYOUNG received an Honorary Mention in the Interactive Art+ category for No Bird.

No Bird is a kinetic installation in which a mechanical device reminiscent of a bird repeatedly moves across white sand. Through movements that cross the boundary between machine and living organism, the work explores the relationship between human and non-human beings, poetically unfolding the tension and connection between technology, life, sensation, and existence.

The work was recognized for expanding technology beyond a mere tool of interaction, transforming it instead into a philosophical inquiry into humanity, life, and the environment.
 
 
 
Jungwoo Lee, Honorary Mention in New Animation Art
 
Jungwoo Lee received an Honorary Mention in the New Animation Art category for In Writing “Hurrah for Freedom”: Cinema and History.

The work takes as its point of departure Hurrah for Freedom, a 1946 film regarded as Korea’s first independent feature film. By using the original screenplay and AI technology to reconstruct scenes removed through censorship, the work explores how historical records and images are produced, erased, and reinterpreted.

Combining archival film from the past with contemporary artificial intelligence technology, the work reflects on questions of memory and history, technology and ethics. It also demonstrates how contemporary media art can use technology to reread history and society in new ways.
 
 
 
Prix Ars Electronica
 
Prix Ars Electronica presents awards in three tiers within each category: the Golden Nica, Awards of Distinction, and Honorary Mentions.
 
The Golden Nica is the highest award in each category, while the Awards of Distinction are given to outstanding works following the top prize. The Honorary Mention is an official award category recognizing works that the international jury considers especially noteworthy.
 
In 2026, each category selected one Golden Nica, two Awards of Distinction, and twelve Honorary Mentions. Therefore, while the Honorary Mention is not the top prize, it remains an official recognition granted only to works that have passed the final stage of review among thousands of submissions from around the world. As such, it is highly regarded within the international media art field.

Ars Electronica
 
Ars Electronica is a world-renowned media art institution that began in 1979 in Linz, Austria. It has operated festivals, exhibitions, research initiatives, and educational programs that connect art, science, and technology.
 
At the center of this institution is Prix Ars Electronica, an international media art competition and awards program that has continued since 1987 and is widely regarded as one of the most prestigious in the world. Each year, works from around the globe are reviewed by an international jury, which selects projects that present new possibilities for art and technology.
 
The winning works are introduced each year through the Ars Electronica Festival, which includes exhibitions, lectures, performances, conferences, and various other programs. Today, Prix Ars Electronica is considered one of the most influential international award programs, offering a view into the current direction of global media art and new forms of technology-based artistic practice.

References

• Prix Ars Electronica