Dr Kristefan Minski

Dr Kristefan Minski (AU) is a lecturer at the Univeristy of Newcastle.  As a teacher, he specialises in applied artistic research practice across diverse disciplines and igniting studio-based learning environments of a highly experimental nature. For 10 years he worked as a senior researcher and producer for the world-renowned Ars Electronica Futurelab in Linz, Austria. His work there and the lab itself were the subject of his PhD which focuses on collaboration in transdisciplinary and art-science environments. He is the founder and CEO of the Australian company Art Thinking, a transdisciplinary studio concentrated at the nexus of art, science, technology and society. Minski is the first official Ambassador to Ars Electronica and has established networks across the EU, Latin America and Asia where he has delivered numerous guest lectures and keynote presentations.

Kristefan Minski’s academic career started at the University of Newcastle where he graduated with B. Arts (Communication) in 2004 and B. Communication (Honours) in 2005. During his undergraduate years he majored in filmmaking and audio production, skills that he also honed professionally during employment at NBN television while he was studying. However, early in his tertiary education he gained a reputation as a DIY producer across many forms and also developed a passion for experimental creativity. In 2002, he produced his first major work Dancing to Architecture: a motion picture about TINA. Using the subject of Newcastle’s iconic This is Not Art festival, it became recognised as a pioneering exemplar of open-source documentary. This work, and the experimental arts community associated with it, became a significant influence on Minski’s career. In 2005, during his honours year, Minski travelled to Europe as part of his creative research which was to produce a feature length documentary exploring the story of his Eastern European born father and grandparents who emigrated to Australia in 1949. Central to the investigation were the years his family spent in forced labour camps during, and displaced persons camps after, WWII. His approach was again highly experimental and reveals the complexities of documenting actualities that involve personal trauma.

During his time in Germany, Minski developed a deeper understanding of experimental and media art culture. Through newly established friends and networks he spent considerable time producing and researching his work at the Bauhaus University and ZKM. After a short stint back in Australia to revive an old band project, Minski enrolled in a German language course at the University of Newcastle and then returned to Germany in 2008 where he was based in Berlin as a foreign exchange student. Here he took courses at Technische Universitat (Berlin Institute of Technology) and also UDK (University of Art Berlin) where he was fortunate to study a semester in the esteemed Tonmeister (sound master) program under the mentorship of Professor Wolfgang Loos. In late 2008, Minski moved to Linz, Austria where he began working at the Ars Electronica, the world renowned media art organisation that started as a festival for Art, Technology and Society in 1979.

The next decade and the time spent at Ars Electronica Futurelab laid the foundation for Minski’s professional experience and expertise in applied artistic research as well as high level industry engagement. The diversity of projects and partnerships that he was involved in during that time include Honda Asimo performance in Deep Space, Zeitraum media art installation at Vienna Airport, Media Façade at SAP Berlin, Geocity and Robotinity themed exhibitions at Ars Electronica Centre, Audioversum museum with MEDEL, SPAXALS London with Paramount pictures, Future Rock Show with OKGO, Murmur with Aakash Odedra Dance company, Shared Space Bots at World Science Festival to name a few. He was also heavily involved in developing the Ars Electonica Futurelab Academy programs. The programs partner on Trandsiciplinary education capacity building with Academic institutions around the globe. As part of this work, Minski was based for several months a year at Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane between 2013 and 2018 where he was collaborating with educators to develop a new curriculum across the entire University.

Between 2013 and 2020 Minski was conducting his PhD research at the University of Newcastle though a unique international program partnered with the Ars Electronica Futurelab. The PhD was supervised by Professor Richard Vella and co-supervised by Horst Hörtner, founding director of Ars Electronica Futurelab / Conjoint Professor University of Newcastle. The research enabled Minski to visit other world leading transdisciplinary environments for field research which are now part of his strong collaborative and international network. These include: MIT Media Lab, UCLA Art | Sci Center, Art + Com, Symbiotica and Waag.

Shortly after completing his PhD, Minski’s company Art Thinking partnered with the University of Newcastle to supervise Work Integrated Learning programs across both scientific and creative disciplines as well as developing projects with FASTLab where Minski is an Industry Associate. In Jan 2021, he became a part-time lecturer at the University of Newcastle and continues to oversee his company’s operations.