The digital environment can hardly be perceived as a unified space, it is a rather complex ecosystem of human and non-human agents. It is unlikely hierarchical and centralised, not without stoppages, dark spots, closures and its own forms of control. The digital is a space that connects, morphs massive virtual (are they really?) distances, different bodies, and data. Sonic Portals is a speculative digital environment, a matrix that presents sonic possible worlds made by students of HSE University (Sound Art & Sound Studies Department).

Portals, having several meanings, can be perceived as an architectural entrance, a web-based platform, connecting different sources, a passage to different worlds, getting more mythological. In Sonic Portals we play with various meanings and create a complex aural environment. The project in a way is an escape from the familiar perception of virtual space where the focus is on the visual. Sonic Portals is a digital environment where the sound becomes the main agent questioning the possibility to create decentralised and fluid space. Each listener gets their own experience drifting through multichannel works, navigating through different portals.

Preview is not available for Safari browser and mobile devices. Please follow the link below to view the project.

HSE Garden Pavilion is a platform which presents the diversity of young artists’ views on Ars Electronica2021 key topic — A New Digital Deal. The Pavilion’s agenda includes digital exhibitions, sound performance, and a collection of in-browser games. All projects are created by students and alumni of HSE University, one of the leading young universities worldwide (QS 50 Under 50), and the best Russian university in the field of Art & Design (QS-2021).

The Pavilion’s projects dwell on the ambiguous nature of social networks’ transparency; the digital perception of the female body; how to make an artist out of a game character; understanding a person with attention deficit disorder and dealing with frustration about one’s behavior in the face of approaching deadlines. The Garden also offers sonic portals—a speculative digital sound environment and a Garden castle exhibition, filled with digital sculptures, videos, and photos.

The program also includes a round-table discussion that will unite specialists in media history, semiotics of contemporary art, game studies, digital art and design to rethink perspectives of the online condition humaine.

HSE ART AND DESIGN SCHOOL is the branch of Higher School of Economics National Research University, one of the leading universities of the Russian Federation, enlisted in the best 40 young world universities and being recognized the best Russian institution of higher education in the Art&Design category according to the leading international educational rating QS-2021. The current number of students is above 3000 taking the bachelor and master programs, postgraduate studies and additional education. HSE ART AND DESIGN SCHOOL also offers courses for children in more than 15 educational programs.​​​​​​​