Member Profile: Juergen Hagler
1. What do you do, and how long have you been doing it?
I am a researcher, media artist, and curator specializing in the intersections of animation, games, and media art. For over 25 years, I have been active in education, research, and creative practice, with a focus on animation, interactive media, and playful environments. I currently lead academic programs in Digital Arts and oversee initiatives like the Ars Electronica Animation Festival and various conferences to promote innovation in animation and media art.
2. What was your first job?
My first job was as a 3D Artist at the Ars Electronica Futurelab, the research and development hub of Ars Electronica. I had the privilege of working on artistic VR applications, including projects designed for the CAVE environment.
3. Where did you complete your formal education?
I completed my formal education at the University of Art and Design Linz, Austria, where I studied art education, experimental visual design, media culture, and art theories.
4. How did you first get involved with ACM SIGGRAPH?
I attended my first ACM SIGGRAPH conference in 2023, though I have been familiar with the event for over two decades. As the Director of the Ars Electronica Animation Festival, I have collaborated with the curators of the Electronic Theater over the past 10 years.
5. What is your favorite memory of a SIGGRAPH conference?
My favorite memory of a SIGGRAPH conference was attending my first conference in Los Angeles in 2023.
6. Describe a project that you would like to share with the ACM SIGGRAPH community.
In 2013, I organized a symposium at Ars Electronica titled Expanded Animation, focusing on animation in the context of media art. Two years later, the symposium became an integral part of the media art festival, closely linked to the Prix Ars Electronica category for Computer Animation. Over time, it evolved into a multi-day event featuring conferences, exhibitions, screenings, and performances. Since 2024, the event has expanded into the Conference on Animation and Interactive Art. Alongside this development, the Prix Ars Electronica category for Computer Animation was refined and renamed New Animation Art. The various activities are documented through publications, as well as image and video recordings, all of which are accessible in the Ars Electronica Archive.
7. If you could have dinner with one living or non-living person, who would it be and why?
Given my deep engagement with Expanded Animation and Expanded Cinema, I would love to have dinner with pioneers like James Whitney, Stan Vanderbeek, Mary Ellen Bute, or Gene Youngblood. It would be fascinating to discuss the early days of experimental digital animation and gain insights into their groundbreaking work and visionary ideas.
8. What is something most people don’t know about you?
In the winter, I spend as much time as possible in the mountains—not only because I love skiing, but also to escape the foggy and gloomy weather that often blankets the lowlands of Austria during the colder months.
9. From which single individual have you learned the most in your life? What did they teach you?
Many people have influenced me throughout my life. Over the past 25 years, however, it has been my wife and my two children from whom I have learned the most.
10. Is there someone in particular who has influenced your decision to work with ACM SIGGRAPH?
I first became acquainted with ACM SIGGRAPH in the mid-1990s through my work with Ars Electronica. However, it was Christine Schöpf, the long-time Artistic Director of Ars Electronica, who sparked my interest in becoming actively involved with ACM SIGGRAPH.
11. What can you point to in your career as your proudest moment?
When I look back on the Expanded Animation symposium series and the establishment of the Conference on Animation and Interactive Art, I am continually amazed at what has grown from a small idea 15 years ago. I am incredibly proud of my team, who joined me in starting and developing these events. The journey has been filled with many challenges, making it both the most demanding and rewarding experience of my career. I am deeply grateful to everyone who has supported me along the way.