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Inside the First Digital Art Awards: Celebrating Pioneers of AI, NFTs, and Immersive Creativity
The inaugural Digital Art Awards in London honored artists blending AI, code, and immersive tech. Winners like Maja Petrić and Zach Lieberman showcased innovative digital creations.
From AI to NFTs: Celebrating the First Digital Art Awards
The inaugural Digital Art Awards took place in London, shining a spotlight on artists pushing the boundaries of creativity with technology. Hosted by Phillips, the ceremony coincided with the launch of a week-long exhibition showcasing some of the most innovative digital artworks combining code, AI, and immersive experiences.
Five awards recognized distinct contributions to digital art, each accompanied by a $10,000 USDC commission. The winners included Maja Petrić, Zach Lieberman, Deekay, Operator, and the Yawanawá Indigenous community of Brazil, honored for their unique blend of technology and artistic expression.
Meet the Award Winners
- Maja Petrić received the Innovation Award for Specimens of Time: Hoh Rain Forest (2025). Her large-scale light sculptures respond in real time to environmental data such as sea temperature and pollution levels, creating an immersive tribute to endangered ecosystems.
- Deekay won the Moving Image category for his animation Hands of Time. This 2D, video game-style loop explores a human life journey, capturing moments from birth to death with emotional simplicity. Deekay is well-known in the NFT community for his hand-drawn, looping animations.
- Operator, the duo Ania Catherine and Dejha Ti, earned the Experimental Award for Human Unreadable. This generative installation combines surveillance technology, choreography, and code to raise questions about privacy and freedom of movement in digital and physical spaces.
- Zach Lieberman took home the Still Image Award for his Ripple Study series. Using custom code, Lieberman translates subtle natural movements into poetic digital artworks that evoke the feeling of light on water, inviting quiet reflection.
- The Yawanawá Indigenous community of Brazil received the Industry Award for their collaboration with AI artist Refik Anadol on Winds of Yawanawá. This digital piece merges AI, climate data, and ancestral knowledge, creating dynamic visuals inspired by the community’s spiritual traditions.
Explore the Exhibition
The works of these five winners, along with 27 other finalists, are on display at PHILLIPS London until 22 May 2025. The exhibition offers a chance to experience how artists are integrating technology into creative practice, from glowing data sculptures to code-based performances.
For creatives interested in deepening their skills with AI and digital tools, exploring specialized courses can provide practical insights into these emerging art forms. Resources like Complete AI Training offer curated learning paths for artists eager to experiment with AI-driven creation.