(Finance) – The digital technology developed by the experts of Triad enters fully into the service of the Driving Energy Award 2023 – Contemporary Photography, the competition organized by the operator of the national electricity transmission grid for the cultural promotion of the country and of the talents of the sector. From 26 September, the space in the metaverse, the PDE (Driving Energy Award) app and the virtual tour the access points and methods of use of the selected works will increase and they will be set up in an exhibition, open free of charge to the public until 15 October, at the Palazzo delle Esposizioni in Rome.
“The virtual exhibition space in the metaverse – Terna explains in a note – it was conceived and created with a completely new project: ideally inspired by fractal geometries, i.e. geometric figures that repeat themselves infinitely on ever smaller scales, and built starting from the hexagonal module of the logo of the Prize, the space refers, on the one hand, to the theme of the competition, Praise of balance, on the other, to the nature of energy, a resource in continuous and dynamic evolution, like Terna’s mission, which guarantees, 24 hours a 24, the balance between energy produced and consumed”. The show in the Metaverse, rich in symbolism and conceptual references, it is strongly anchored to the artistic and cultural objectives of the Prize: to enhance the works of the finalists and winners; make available an additional point of access to the exhibition, innovative and permanent; offer users an original and significant experience to live as an integration and enrichment of the physical visit to the Palazzo delle Esposizioni. Thanks to the use of innovative technologies, it was possible to personalize content, environments and avatars, creating a unique and exclusive experience. Compared to the last edition, the next Prize exhibition in the metaverse will bring elements of great novelty: the link with the physical exhibition will be overcome in the new space by proposing a virtual visit, in a context with a high emotional and scenic impact, specially designed by 3D Artist to reinforce the theme of the 2023 Prize.
Another novelty this year is the presence of a photographic work created with Artificial Intelligence, strictly out of competition and only available in the metaverse exhibit. It is a conceptual story in five images created by Igor Imhoff, digital artist engaged in visual experimentation. The work is a reflection on the theme of the balance between human memory and artificial memories, investigated and represented in their creative connections as well as in their natural imperfections. Imhoff is part of the collective of 50 Italian artists of Neoludic Game Art Gallery, project that promotes the symbiosis between digital and contemporary arts, created by art critics Deborah Ferrari and by the writer Luca Traini, also curators of Imhoff’s work on display in the metaverse.
Also debuting this year new PDE app (Driving Energy Award), a support for all users who want to learn more about the contents of the exhibition and approach the authorial universe of the finalists and winners of the 2023 Prize in an original way. Downloadable for free from all stores, the app will offer a set of exclusive contents on the finalist works and winners. In addition to the images of the photographic works, in fact, it will be possible to access numerous original contributions made by the authors: the explanatory stories of the works, usable by the authors’ voice or in their text version, and the short videos in which each photographer introduces himself. The PDE app aims to be a tool to bring the public and authors closer together, in a dialogue that can be activated in any place and at any time, especially during the physical exhibition at the Palazzo delle Esposizioni: here, by framing the QR codes next to each work , you can use the contents of the app as a guided tour, to better appreciate the selected photographic works. Another feature enriches and completes the application: the visualization of the works in augmented reality mode, which will allow you to project your favorite works on the wall with a few simple steps, to better study them or even to experience them in your own environments.
In continuity with 2022, the second edition of the exhibition will also be open to visitors at any time, and from all over the world, through the virtual tour accessible from the official website of the Prize. This method of use reproduces the halls of the Palazzo delle Esposizioni where the finalist works will be set up, with the aim of offering a virtual version that is even more faithful to the physical exhibition: an experience in which the visitor can explore the corridors of the gallery and space in street view mode. The user experience has also been further perfected for even more fluid use even from mobile devices.
The finalist photographic works, selected from those presented by 2,800 entries for this year’s Prize, I am under consideration jury chaired by Lorenza Bravetta, consultant in the field of photography and curator of the Photography, cinema and new media sector at the Milan Triennale, assisted, as well as by the curator Marco Delogu, also by the Presidential Committee, composed of Igor De Biasio and Giuseppina Di Foggia, Terna’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, respectively.
The Driving Energy Award 2023, which also received this year the Medal of the President of the Republic, moreover, the patronage obtained in the first edition from the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the Lazio Region and Rome Capital has been confirmed for the exhibition.
The finalist works will be published in the fourth edition of the photographic volume Driving Energy, which represents the official catalog of the Award.
All information on the Prize is available on the official website of the competition.