THA at the Long Night of Art in Landsberg am Lech: Technology Meets Art
Project Work: Art Generators and Prototypes
The students’ assignment was: Develop an art generator and design a prototype! The three best projects were exhibited at the Long Night of Art, inviting visitors to experience technology and aesthetics in an innovative way.
“VALLIS SIMULACRI”
What happens when an AI repeatedly uses its own images as templates?
This interactive installation shows how classic works of art gradually slip into the uncanny due to an AI’s feedback effects—a phenomenon known as the “Uncanny Valley.” However, visitors not only experience the alienation of the images but also become part of the artwork themselves: real-time emotion recognition measures their reactions and quantifies their sense of unease.
“Dreiton”
—Sound Becomes Visible!
This kinetic sculpture translates acoustic signals into mechanical movements: A three-axis mechanical drawing system reacts to the bass, midrange, and treble of an audio signal, transforming music into visual art. Each note generates a distinct movement—a unique work of art created from sound and form.
“Zappelphilipp”
A marionette brought to life by AI!
Inspired by the Augsburger Puppenkiste, the group developed an AI-controlled marionette that mimics visitors’ movements in real time. A webcam captures the movements, AI analyzes them, and the marionette dances in time with the audience. A playful bridge between tradition and modernity.
Pop Art and 3D Printing: More Highlights
In addition to the student projects, Pop Art artist Julia M. Wittmann from Neuburg an der Donau enriched the exhibition with four of her works. Her colorful portraits blend painting, music, and literature—each painting tells its own story and invites viewers not only to look but also to listen. And what makes her work special is that by integrating light in the form of light bulbs and LEDs into her pieces, she, too, creates a connection between art and technology. Her philosophy: “Art knows no boundaries—it is experimentation, contrast, and the connection between the visible and the tangible.”
In addition, visitors were able to experience firsthand how 3D printing and art come together: Two 3D printers set up outside the building demonstrated the creative applications of the technology.
A particular eye-catcher was Unitree’s humanoid robot G1, dressed as EVA-01 from “Neon Genesis Evangelion”—a real highlight, especially for the younger guests.
A successful blend of art and technology
The exhibition was well-attended, and visitors stayed for a long time to try out the interactive exhibits. The robot and the AI-controlled installations, in particular, generated a lot of excitement. The event demonstrated once again how technology and art can inspire one another—and how Technical University of Applied Sciences Augsburg brings this connection to life.