The theme of BVPS 2008 is Next Nature; the nature caused by human culture. Nowadays, children know more corporate logo's and brands than bird or tree species. Our established image of nature needs to be updated. Our technological world has become so complex and uncontrollable it has become a nature of its own. Wild systems, genetic surprises, autonomous machinery and beautiful black flowers. Nature changes along with us.
Following the 2003, 2005 and 2006 editions in Europe, the event moved to the USA. On May 17th, 2008 at 8 PM the Biggest Visual Power Show took place in the Million Dollar Theater downtown Los Angeles.
Missed the show? Take a look the pictures of BVPS Next Nature 2008.
TECHNOLOGY: THE SEVENTH KINGDOM OF LIFE
Kevin Kelly, senior maverick at Wired magazine, gives an opening keynote on the nature of technology. "Our entire system of technology is now so complex that it forms a tangled ecology of ideas and devices which support each other. Human mind, so essential for its birth, play a decreasing role."
EXTREME GREEN GUERILLAS
With the worst climate disaster about to happen, our current green solutions aren't sufficient. They are only making tiny steps forward. Michiko Nitta proposes the ultimate green lifestyle. Animal rights artist Tinkebell presents a sustainable designers bag made from her own cat. Judith de Leeuw traces back her shoes to their place of birth.
THE PEOPLE VS THE BEAUTY INDUSTRY
Nowadays plastic surgeons sculpt flesh after photoshopped magazines. Documentary maker Sunny Bergman offers an intimate peek in a Los Angeles 'rejuvenation institute'. What is the price tag of a hot, sexy, hypernatural body?
CORPORATIONS WANT TO SURVIVE!
They want to live and grow, not for the benefit of people but for the benefit of themselves and if necessary at the costs of people. Recognition is their most successful product: Nowadays children know more corporate logo's and brands than bird or three species. Brandalizer Hendrik-Jan Grievink analyzes the strategies. Fashion designer Karl Grandin goes out hunting for corporate animals.
VISUALIZING COMPLEXITY
Artist David Kremers helps scientists at the California Institute of Technology to use artistic painting techniques in order to visualize the incredible complexity of their scientific data. What can we learn from Van Gogh?
SOCIAL SOFTWARE GONE WILD
Casey Alt, young billionaire CEO of Valilogic Software, shares his views on the emerging phenomenon of social software networks like Facebook, MySpace, Linkedin, etc. and their relation with the older social software embedded in human nature.
SEX & DEATH: DISNEY OR PLAYBOY?
Walt Disney and Hugh Hefner, who seem miles apart, are in fact sides of the same coin, flipping to decide what the next nature of sex and death will be. Media philosopher Peter Lunenfeld explains the how & why.
MAGICAL INTERACTION
How to control the wild ecology of electronic devices in your house? Designer Joris van Gelder proposes 'magic' as a way to interact with our technological environment. He will demonstrate his magical lamp and remote control.
USER GENERATED ARCHITECTURE
My own blog, my own homevideo, my own house. Digital software allows people to easily copy-paste their own buildings. What are the consequences of 'user generated architecture'? Will it cause architects to build tools, rather than buildings? Will we grow more suburban McMansions or track down & improve the self-organizing networks in the slums of Sao Paulo?
AND THERE IS MORE...
Gaming Zombies. Autonomous implants. Genetic Traces. Special live interventions: You control the camera if you can catch it. Immersive next nature soundscapes. The state of the stars. Analog vs Digital. Magic Highways. The car is not the limit. See the entire list of presenters.
BVPS Next Nature is a concept by Koert van Mensvoort & Mieke Gerritzen
