In 2019, the Prix Ars Electronica jury recognised “Labor” by Paul Vanouse (Artificial Life & Intelligence) with the Golden Nica. Paul Vanouse has 3 more works in this atlas.
What does exploitation smell like? *Labor* is a dynamic, self-regulating art installation that re-creates the scent of people exerting themselves under stressful conditions. There are, however, no people involved in making the smell—it is created by bacteria propagating in the three bioreactors in the artwork.
About Paul Vanouse
Paul Vanouse (US) is an artist and professor of Art at the University at Buffalo, NY, where he is the founding director of the Coalesce Center for Biological Art. Interdisciplinarity and impassioned amateurism guide his art practice.
Programme information from Prix Ars Electronica Archive. Short excerpt quoted for reference; see the original page for full text, images and credits.