About Me
I am a new media artist and transdisciplinary researcher. Recognized for the creation of his digital, virtual reality, and interactive art installations across the fields of art, technology, humanities, and cultural heritage.
+755
Exhibits
+40
years of work
+2000
artwork presented
500
teaching and research activities
Over View
Resume
Tech Approach
Extended Reality (XR), (I.E. Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality [VR], Mixed Reality [MR], Artificial Reality (AI), Machine Learning, The Internet Of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence, AI Avatars, Digital Humans, Virtual Beings, Holography.
Vision
Fischnaller envisions a world where technology and art intersect to create immersive, interactive experiences that push the boundaries of human perception and engagement. His work is driven by a lifelong passion for innovation and a commitment to exploring new frontiers in digital media. Fischnaller’s projects often blend classical art techniques with cutting-edge technologies, creating unique cross-disciplinary art forms that challenge and expand traditional concepts of storytelling and visual expression.
Art-work highlight
Franz Fischnaller’s notable projects span decades of innovation and cultural impact. He pioneered the Virtual Reality Facility Lab at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) and curated the groundbreaking “LEONARDO: SHAPING THE FUTURE” exhibition. From 1996 to 2017, he led F.A.B.R.I.CATORS Milano/Italy, integrating art, design, and technology. His ongoing Time Space System Project (TSS) explores immersive AI/XR holographic performances. As Media Art Director at Kunstkraftwerk, Leipzig, Fischnaller continues to spearhead innovative digital media exhibitions. Throughout his career, he has made significant academic contributions, publishing extensively and lecturing worldwide on XR and digital humanities topics.
Notable Projects and Roles
Virtual Reality Facility Lab
Created at the University of Illinois at Chicago, recognized
for the development of the first CAVE® and ImmersaDesk® VR systems.
Media Art Director
Kunstkraftwerk, Leipzig, Germany.
Curator
LEONARDO: SHAPING THE FUTURE – large-scale immersive exhibits showcasing artistic and scientific macro imaging.
Founder
F.A.B.R.I.CATORS Milano/Italy – an interdisciplinary group focused on the integration of art, design, technology, and communication.
Professional Activities
Content Creation and Development
For private companies, museums, cultural centers.
Media Design Adviser, Art Director, Project Production Management
Planning, organizing, and managing human resources and content production.
Consultant and Designer for New Media Exhibits
Across art, architecture, technology, science, and humanities.
Exhibit Design and Management
For digital humanities projects and interactive exhibits
Academic and Teaching Roles
Fischnaller has served as a professor, visiting scholar, and guest lecturer at various universities worldwide
Full Professor at the School of Art & Design, University of Illinois at Chicago,USA.
Professor at the University of Florence, Italy; IED Turin, Italy; Albertina Academy of Fine Arts of Turin; Polytechnic of Turin, Italy; Polytechnic University of Milan Guest lecturer at Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Lithuania; Aalto University, Finland; Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand
Publications and Conferences
Fischnaller has published extensively and has been involved in numerous conferences, seminars, and workshops. Notable publications include:
e-Art | Art | Net | Technology | Society | Democracy
“Expanding the Frontiers of Utopia … From the Digital Renaissance to Space on Earth”
“CityCluster: From the Renaissance to the Megabyte Networking Age”
“Immersive Museums … THE ARCHITECTURE OF THE SENSES”
