Bio

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Polina Zioga is a Greek-Scottish award-winning hybrid artist, Founding Director of the Interactive Filmmaking Lab® (Scotland), Advisory Board Member of the Interactive Film and Media Journal (Canada), and Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy UK. Her interdisciplinary background in Visual Arts, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), and Health Sciences has influenced her creative practice and research in Interactive Media and Film, Audience Research, including Neurocinematics, and Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs).

She holds a Ph.D. from the Glasgow School of Art/University of Glasgow, selected as one of the Top-Ranked LABS Abstracts 2017 by Leonardo (MIT Press). She has received grants and awards from international organisations, like the NEON Organization, Glasgow School of Art Global Excellence Initiative Fund, Connecting Cities Urban Media Lab as part of the European project ‘Connecting Cities: Participatory City 2014’, MyndPlay, the Embassy of the Kingdom of The Netherlands in Athens, The Hellenic-Dutch Association of Commerce and Industry (He.D.A.), and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of the Hellenic Republic, amongst others.

For her projects, she has collaborated with established organisations including the Centre for Contemporary Arts Glasgow, Dundee Contemporary Arts, Northern Video Art Network (Finland, Norway, Greece, Hong Kong), iMAL (Brussels) and Fournos Center for Digital Culture (Athens). While her research and creative work have been presented and published since 2004 world-wide in: art exhibitions, video-art and film festivals; high impact journals, books and international conferences; invited talks and guest lectures. She has written for The Conversation, and has appeared on The Guardian technology podcast and TechWorld.

Research Experience | Interactive Filmmaking Lab®

Lectures & Teaching Experience

Publications | Press

Qualifications
2019 Senior Fellowship, Higher Education Academy (UK).
2017 Ph.D. in Interactive Media and Film, Glasgow School of Art/University of Glasgow (UK). Funding: Global Excellence Initiative Fund PhD Studentship. Sponsor: MyndPlay. Award: Selected as one of the Top-Ranked LABS Abstracts for 2017 by Leonardo (MIT Press).
2007 Integrated Masters Degree in Visual Arts, Athens School of Fine Arts, Visual Arts Department (Greece). Funding: Greek State Scholarships Foundation Scholarship for excellence Degree Grade: Magna cum laude.
2002 BSc (Hons) in Nursing, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, School of Health Sciences (Greece).

Selected Invited Positions & Distinctions
2021- (ongoing) Interactive Film and Media Journal (Toronto, Canada): Advisory Board Member.
2017 Leonardo (MIT Press, Cambridge, US): Top-Ranked LABS Abstracts for 2017 by Leonardo (MIT Press).
2017 Kirklees Council (Huddersfield, UK): Grant for the research project ‘Modern slavery: Identifying barriers and solutions to reporting’ project, led by the University of Huddersfield Secure Societies Institute (UK).
2016 Scottish Graduate School for Arts & Humanities (UK): Award & Funding for ‘Re-mark. Enabling artists with disabilities to re-engage with their fine art practice using digital technology’ project at Dundee Contemporary Arts Print Studio (UK), supported by the Glasgow School of Art & Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design, University of Dundee.
2015 MyndPlay (UK): Sponsorship for ‘Enheduanna – A Manifesto of Falling’ Live Brain-Computer Cinema Performance and PhD research.
2014 NEON Organization (Greece): 2014-2015 Grant for Performance Production 'Enheduanna - A Manifesto of Falling' Live Brain-Computer Cinema Performance.
2014 Connecting Cities Urban Media Lab as part of the European project ‘Connecting Cities: Participatory City 2014' (Brussels, Belgium): Commission for the event ‘HOME SWEET HOME’ of the project ‘HOME Network’.
2014 Wildlife Vaasa International Nature Film Festival (Vaasa, Finland): Award in the Children Animations category for the ;;;->->?!?!(1,2,3...15)!!! short stop motion film. Directors: 17 students of the 9th Elementary School of Ag. Dimitrios, Attica, Greece. Producers: Polina Zioga & 9th Elementary School of Ag. Dimitrios, Attica, Greece.
2014 Glasgow School of Art Global Excellence Initiative Fund PhD Studentship (UK): Awarded for PhD Full time study at the Digital Design Studio.
2013 13th European Meeting of Youth Audiovisual Creation – Camera Zizanio (Ilia Prefecture, Greece): 3rd award in the A category (4-12 years old) for the ;;;->->?!?!(1,2,3...15)!!! short stop motion film. Directors: 17 students of the 9th Elementary School of Ag. Dimitrios, Attica, Greece. Producers: Polina Zioga & 9th Elementary School of Ag. Dimitrios, Attica, Greece.
2007 Ministry for Foreign Affairs of the Hellenic Republic (Greece): Aegis & Grant for the exhibition ‘Conversing with Rembrandt – Young Greek Artists are inspired by the great master’s work’ exhibition (The Hague, The Netherlands).
2006 Embassy of the Kingdom of The Netherlands in Athens & The Hellenic-Dutch Association of Commerce and Industry (Greece): Aegis and Grant for the exhibition ‘Conversing with Rembrandt - Young Artists are inspired by the great master’s work’ (Athens, Greece).
2005 Greek State Scholarships Foundation (Greece): Scholarship for excellence in studies at the Visual Arts Department of the Athens School of Fine Arts.

Memberships
2019- (ongoing) Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA).
2017- (ongoing) Member of the University College Union (UCU).
2013- (ongoing) Member of the Northern Video Art Network, NOVA.
2007- (ongoing) Member of the Chamber of Fine Arts of Greece.

Interactive Media Works Presentations
2015 “Enheduanna - A Manifesto of Falling” Live Brain-Computer Cinema Performance, CCA: Centre for Contemporary Arts, Glasgow, UK.
2014 “HOME network: HOME SWEET HOME”, as part of the European project "Connecting Cities: Participatory City 2014", Connecting Cities Urban Media Lab, Place Sainte Catherine, Brussels, Belgium.
2014 “HOME network: Connect and Pray_”, AUTH Faculty of Engineering, Thessaloniki, Greece.
2010 “tasman - live visuals”, Athens, Greece.

Solo Exhibitions
2012 “The Shelter”, Fournos Center for Digital Culture, Athens, Greece.
2008 “Pro-Art” art gallery, Athens, Greece.

Selected Screenings in Video-Art and Film Festivals
2015 "8th Festival PAME CINEMA", Athens, Greece.
2014 "Wildlife Vaasa International Nature Film Festival 2014", Vaasa, Finland.
2014 "4th International Festival Pequeno Cineasta", Brazil.
2014 "Digital Art Collections" Video Art Exhibition, "Ionikes Giortes 2014" Cultural Festival, Nea Smirni, Greece.
2014 “Festival Miden 2014”, Kalamata, Greece.
2014 “Oslo Screen Festival 2014”, Oslo, Norway.
2013 "13th European Meeting of Youth Audiovisual Creation – Camera Zizanio", Ilia Prefecture, Greece.
2013 "10th Naoussa International Film Festival", Naoussa, Greece.
2013 "Time is Love.6" international video-art program: TEA Museum (Tenerife, Spain), Contemporary Hotel Bloom! (Brussels, Belgium), STIFTELSEN 3,14 International Contemporary Art Foundation (Bergen, Norway), KULTER. Gallery (Amsterdam, The Netherlands), Peanut Underground Art Projects (New York City, USA), Sazmanab Platform for Contemporary Arts (Teheran, Iran), Mori+Stein Gallery (London, UK).
2011 "8th Naoussa International Film Festival", Naoussa, Greece.
2011 "3rd Moving Frames Festival", Mytilene (Lesvos island), Greece.
2010 "ProjectOroom - Short Night II", London, UK.
2010 "International Film Festival of Patras City - 12th International Panorama of Independent Film and Video Makers", Patras City, Greece.
2010 "2nd Moving Frames Festival", Mytilene (Lesvos island), Greece.
2010 "Festival Miden", Historic Center of Kalamata, Greece.
2010 "Visions from the Future, International Video Contest, second edition 2010 .:Iridescent Worlds:.", Torino, Italy.
2009 “1st Moving Frames Festival”, Mytilene (Lesvos island), Greece.
2009 "Videologies", Tripoli, Greece.
2008 “Platforma Video 08 International Film Festival” , “Technopolis” of Municipality of Athens, Greece.
2008 “Festival Miden”, Historic Center of Kalamata, Greece.
2008 “Athens Video Art Festival”, “Technopolis” of Municipality of Athens, Greece.

Selected Group Exhibitions
2017 "Polis Flows Tensions Osmosis", Michael Cacoyannis Foundation, Athens, Greece.
2016 "Whereabouts you are?", Reid Gallery, Glasgow School of Art, UK.
2013 "BLIKSEMEDITIE" presented by KULTER. gallery, St Joseph Church [Vluchtkerk], Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
2012 "Ambientarte III: Il mediterraneo, un mare che unisce, un mare che divide", Municipal Gallery of Contemporary Art “Giovanni da Gaeta” & “Associazione 900”, Gaeta, Italy.
2011 "Undisclosed Recipients", the Art Foundation (taf), Athens, Greece.
2010 "DEPARTURES", Athinais Cultural Center, Athens, Greece.
2010 "ART-ATHINA 2010", Arteshop - Booth Μ2, Faliro Pavilion (TaeKwonDo), Faliron Delta, Athens, Greece.
2009 “Graduating Class 2006-2007”, Athens School of Fine Arts, Athens, Greece.
2008 “Picture-Space-Action 2”, “Technopolis” of Municipality of Athens, Greece.
2007 “Child”, “Paidon-Agia Sofia” Children’s Hospital, Athens, Greece.
2007 “Conversing with Rembrandt - Young Greek Artists are inspired by the great master’s work”, under the Aegis of the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Hellenic Republic Ms. Dora Bakoyannis, “De Haagse Kunstkring”, The Hague, The Netherlands.
2006 "Conversing with Rembrandt-Young artists are inspired by the great master’s work”, under the Aegis of the Royal Netherlands Embassy, exhibition hall of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Hellenic Republic, Athens, Greece.
2006 “Child”, Chantzikyriakeio foundation, Piraeus, Greece.
2005 “December 1st and every single day… a day against AIDS”, under the Aegis of the Municipality of Athens, Metro Syntagma exhibition area, Athens, Greece.
2004 “Body and Ancient Drama”, Kronos Factory, Elefsina, Greece.