14TH ATHENS DIGITAL ARTS FESTIVAL CAMPAIGN DESIGN

This concept uses the notion of the singularity’s ambiguity to create intriguing abstract visuals which have the power to entice potential audiences. A key element is used to introduce the spectator to the idea of singularity and to set the overarching mood for the Athens Digital Arts Festival 2018. 
Singularity can be – as we are all aware – interpreted in a multitude of ways. The term is used in physics, mathematics and futurology to describe a range of scenarios from “the merger of human and machine”, “artificial intelligence becoming so real, that we will not be able to distinguish it from humans”, “the end of the world” to “eternal life”. And this is just scratching the surface.
To bring this idea to the widest possible audience, we introduced “the object” as a key element in the visual identity. It ties the concept together and provides continuity. “The object” is an abstract shape that is just hovering, looming, approaching, ever present – like the idea of singularity. It captures and represents essential qualities of the singularity; It is abstract and hard to define, be it through words or through images. It is an idea that is present, but can not be pin-pointed exactly. We seem to be sure that it is coming, but we are unsure what it holds for us.
The reflective surface of “the object” shows a mirror image of the Athenian cityscape it is placed in, which is distorted according to its shape. This object is placed in a setting that is familiar to the audience. This way, a juxtaposition of something that is completely grounded in reality and something that is categorically philosophical is created. 
By placing “the object” in a familiar surrounding we are beginning to shape a relationship between the spectator and the idea of singularity. This relationship will be varying from person to person. While one might be completely new to the idea, and the other might have already studied the subject, “the object” leaves room for each individual to shape their own interpretation of what singularity can be, either something good or bad. 
Observing this visual from an external standpoint gives the audience a foundation to complete the image to their personal satisfaction. The real satisfaction will come when they can finally visit the festival and see how other people interpreted and consequently represented their notion of the singularity.

refection on the research

In the last tutorial, Laura introduced designer Tina Touli to me. I am most interested in the set she designed for the Digital Art Festival. Starting from the ambiguity of singularity, she combines abstraction with reality. Use fresh objects to reflect things that people are already familiar with.
In today's research, I realized the importance of "reflective materials". The realization of the retroreflective function of light is achieved by various reflective materials with retroreflective properties. Most of these materials are not naturally formed in nature, but rely on human creativity to invent synthetic new substances. Retroreflective technology brings together a variety of disciplines and technologies such as optics, materials science, mathematics, and organic chemistry. These modern things combined with the ancient city-state of Athens are the juxtaposition of real and philosophical things. This reminds me of Tina Touli's consistent design style, which is to combine physics and digital technology. And the reflective material is like a mirror, which makes objects intersect with each other. This undoubtedly gave me very good creative inspiration. In the design of science fiction scenes, I can add different reflective materials to the surface of urban buildings, so that my science fiction scenes give people a cold, concise, sci-fi, distant, advanced, strange, bizarre, mysterious sense of the future. Foreshadows readers the end of the earth depicted in the fiction.

REFERENCE

Tina Touli (2020) 14TH ATHENS DIGITAL ARTS FESTIVAL CAMPAIGN DESIGN Available  at: https://tinatouli.com/14th-athens-digital-arts-festival  (Accessed: 02/03/2020)

Updated on September 2, 2025; 109 page visits from 26 April 2020 to 02 September 2025