New Animation Art Honorary Mention for Ancestors

Jury Statement
“How would it feel to witness those who have come after you, as an ancestor? What does it mean to share physical space with strangers, only to see your digital self sharing that space and exhibiting behaviors different than your own? Hanna Haaslahti’s Ancestors prompts us to grapple with these questions through her hyper-immersive work. Visitors position themselves in front of a camera, which renders them inside a digital environment alongside rendered counterparts. The work thus reimagines the animation one embodies in real life, pushing it beyond individual control and compelling viewers to decide how the shift feels. Ultimately, Haaslahti invites us to step beyond the regime of possessive individualism and learn to share our presence with others.”