Julius Baer Next Generation Art Prize Virtual Showcase

Digital disruption, future cities and sustainability
By Vivyan Yeo

Julius Baer Next Generation Art Prize virtual gallery. Image courtesy of Julius Baer.

Committed to empowering young talents, the second edition of the Julius Baer Next Generation Art Prize culminates in a virtual showcase of new digital artworks by six winners across Asia. They are André Wee and Chan Wan Kyn from Singapore, Carla Chan, Jamela Law and Natalie Yen Ye Wong from Hong Kong, and Viraag Desai from India. Connecting art and real-world issues, the winners focused on the megatrend themes of Digital Disruption, Future Cities and Sustainability. After they were selected for the prize in March 2023, they developed their concept proposals over a three-month Art and Technology Accelerator programme led by The MeshMinds Foundation. 

International audiences may view the winners’ final artworks in a unique virtual show presenting a futuristic floating city in Asia. “The immersive 'meta world' design effectively reflects the Julius Baer Next Generation Art Prize's aim of celebrating art shaped by cutting-edge technologies,” elucidates Chin Lit Yee, Head of South East Asia, Julius Baer. “This boundary-free format offers a cinematic experience for global audiences, enabling them to explore the artworks up close and in three dimensions.” The flexible desktop experience allows interactive features, music and animations according to the needs of each artwork.

Viraag Desai, ‘Pathfinder’, 2023. Image courtesy of Julius Baer.

Viraag Desai’s ‘Pathfinder’ (2023), which pushes the boundaries of digital art while paying homage to craftspersons from the past. Taking advantage of the virtual platform’s interactive capabilities, the work contains multiple-choice elements focusing on a particular craft material, such as clay, stone and glass. After choosing an element, visitors experience scenes of the material’s evolution, from their fabrication process to their role in civilisation. “The advent of new technologies pushes artists to forge ahead with the latest techniques, just as my background as a muralist led me to the medium of VR sculpting,” contemplates Desai. “This project is an ode to forgotten artists of the past who explored mediums with a sense of rigour and purpose.”

Chan Wan Kyn, ‘City in Aether’, 2023. Image courtesy of Julius Baer.

Finding meaning in the present, Chan Wan Kyn’s ‘City in Aether’ (2023) urges viewers to reflect on personal memories within an ever-changing cityscape. To make the work, the artist invites the public to take a “meaningful walk” and record their GPS tracking data using a fitness application called Strava, along with descriptions of the journey’s significance. “The idea sprang from my enduring fascination with intangible elements of space, such as light, negative space, and personal interactions with the natural and built environments,” intimates Chan. “While we often engage in habitual commutes, how often do we take the time to appreciate their impact on our lives–no matter how small?”. Currently generated and curated from 26 entries across nine countries, ‘City in Aether’ is a continuously expanding project that welcomes further contributions from worldwide audiences. 

Chan's work encourages appreciation of daily life, and similarly, the artist learnt to slow down and value the journey through the Art and Technology Accelerator programme. “One challenging aspect was patiently waiting in anticipation as the contributions came in, unsure if people would be open to the idea,” shared the artist. “As someone who tends to overthink before taking action, I learned to savour the learning experience and trust the process.” He sought critiques, developed new techniques and polished algorithms to produce a digital sculpture.

Jamela Law, ‘Scars, Skins, and Styles: Metamorphosis in the Metaverse’, 2023. Image courtesy of Julius Baer.

Jamela Law’s ‘Scars, Skins, and Styles: Metamorphosis in the Metaverse’ (2023) explores imaginative co-creation as a therapeutic tool. Using 3D-scanning technologies, Law co-created hyper realistic avatars of underrepresented individuals in empowering digital garments. For example, she worked with Danial Bawthan (He/Him), a rapper, beatboxer, sound designer and a member of the Singapore national wheelchair rugby team who was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy. In an interview, he highlighted how the fashion market has not sufficiently catered to the disabled community. He thus enjoys modifying his clothes to make them more user-friendly. Inspired by Zoids, model kits that can be assembled into mechanised creatures, Law and Bawthan co-designed an armoured wheelchair with mechanised detailing, for mobility and independence. 

Created from a place of empathy, Law’s project manifests a radically optimistic future. “While documenting personal stories can serve as a heart-warming project about inclusivity, it can also pave the way to designing better solutions to the world’s problems,” she illuminates. “Even in the digital realm, the way we present ourselves are still embodiments of art, expression and communication; they can kickstart constructive conversations without physical limitations of the real world.” Indeed, her avatars embody personalised visions of hope. Alongside Bawthan, other participants include Vivian Goh, who visualised her own custom Barbie, and Joy Rouge, who co-conceptualised a metallic androgynous corset and silhouette made from his poetry work. Throughout the process, Law gave her participants agency by teaching them how to use eye-gaze-capturing devices and AI image-generating tools. While imaginative, these co-created avatars provide a glimpse into the kinds of futures dreamt by underrepresented communities.

Through this exhibition, Julius Baer demonstrates their dedication to nurturing young artists and spearheading transformative change. The six final artworks creatively push the envelope of technology while foregrounding the importance of history, collaboration, inclusivity and sustainability.  

The Julius Baer Next Generation Art Prize virtual showcase runs online from 19 July to 31 August 2023. Click here to find out more.