Drumlander is my collaborative project with Canadian Louis Blackburn. It is essentially a platform to explore the creative potential of computer games. Drumlander has been presenting audio performances with game music and installations with independent games in Belgium, the Netherlands and Québec. 

Left: The Endless Forest by Tale of Tales. Right: Drumlander DJ set at GOGBOT 2007.

Tale of Tales is a games development studio, founded by Auriea Harvey and Michaël Samyn in Belgium in 2002. The purpose of Tale of Tales is to create elegant and emotionally rich interactive entertainment. They explicitly want to cater to people who are not enchanted by most contemporary computer games, or who wouldn’t mind more variety in their gameplay experiences. For this purpose, all of their creations feature innovative forms of interaction, engaging poetic narratives and simple controls. 

Around the end of last year Louis and me had a back-and-forth email discussion about war games with Tale of Tales. Time to post that here. 

ToT: Many people like playing games. But rarely is the excitement so great as between a hardcore gamer and a big-budget action game (Doom, Halo, Half-Life, Gears of War, Bioshock, etc.) Even in gamers with a relatively broad taste, such as you, one cannot miss the sparkle in the eye when one of these games is mentioned. What makes them so special? 

DL: There seem to be a few assumptions in your question that we do not completely agree with. First of all you seem to assume that “big budget action games” and more specifically first person shooters are the most intensely desired and enjoyed games within the gaming community. This is obviously not true. There is a wide range of other types of games that are equally popular, maybe even more popular. If you look at sales figures, the FPS games make up only 15-20 percent. 

Secondly you assume that this type of game is not only the most popular, but also exceptionally “special”. This is not true. Every gamer has his personal selection of favorite types and genres of games. Moreover, our personal experience has shown that so-called hard-core gamers are very curious and interested in indie games. “Big budget action games” are not more special than any other type of game. 

Apart from this, we have our reasons to like some mainstream FPS games. Contrary to what many people think, it’s not just about aiming your crosshair and bashing the left mouse button (but to be honest, we think this type of hand/eye coordination game can provide a satisfying experience as well). In a compelling FPS game other skills such as strategy and efficient teamwork are also needed. Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter is a good example of this. What is definitely a strong point in these games is the way in which they manage to create an immersive, persuasive and genuine atmosphere. You may not like Gears of War, but you cannot deny that it has its own specific and powerful stylization. Sadly, this stylization and this level of art direction are elaborated way better than the script. Most often these games heavily suffer from weak storylines, stereotypical characters and bad voice acting. But this doesn’t automatically render them uninteresting. 

Now we have a question for you: how exactly do you define a “hardcore gamer”? 

Gears of War 2 (Epic Games, 2008)

ToT: I don't define a "hardcore gamer". But Chris Bateman does. Read his excellent post on Game Literacy here. If you do not consider big-budget action games special, then there is no point to continuing the interview. I want to try and figure out what makes them special. Why the enthusiam for such games is so extreme. And I thought I'd start by asking a player of those games why he likes them. If you think they are not special, then I will ask somebody else. Otherwise, please continue :) Do you think the atmosphere that you mention is enhanced by the challenges and missions of the game? I personally feel that gaming tends to distract me from enjoying it. What do you mean by stylization when you talk about Gears of War? And how is it "powerful"? 

DL: We’re eager to discuss the enthusiasm for big-budget action titles. However, like we said before, their appeal is not unique in the game world. There are other types of games that are equally successful: MMORPGs, sports games, etc. But let’s focus on your last questions. 

There seem to be three defining elements that we’re discussing here: (1) interaction, (2) atmosphere/stylization, and (3) storytelling. The relation between interaction and atmosphere is a dialectic one. Thorough interactivity can enhance the experience of a virtual atmosphere. Discovering that the environment is not a static one, not a 3D painting, but actually pulsating with virtual mechanics can drag you deep into a setting. At the same time a compelling atmosphere enhances the experience of interactivity. In some cases you can almost feel the materiality of the virtual world because of its visualization, sound effects and physical behavior. This can makes interactions very convincing and augment the pleasure of even the slightest change you make in this world. 

Regarding stylization in Gears of War, on a purely aesthetic level there is maybe an obvious, but still very efficient use of soft lighting and a light fog in a war-torn city. Could you switch off the voice acting, you would still strongly feel what this story is about. Sometimes game mechanics and aesthetics combine for very strong effect. For example, an enemy you didn’t see attacks you so you run for cover. When you perform the run action you can’t shoot, the camera pulls away and starts to shake and the depth of field narrows making the background blurry. This combination of mechanic and aesthetic elements induces a very emotional reaction in the player. You do feel panicked when it happens, a lot more than in a game such as Half-Life 2 where the graphics are always very sharp and the camera always moves smoothly. Another example would be a level where your only defense against some types of enemies is to stand in the light. At some point you need to position a follow spot to create a “light bridge” to move safely. You can also move this spot to freely look around the scenery. This exploration too becomes very emotional. It feels like a “calm before the storm” moment. And as you look at it, you kind of wish this city hadn’t been destroyed by the war. It does immerse you in its narrative. It did have a powerful effect on us, anyway. 

ToT: You call the storylines of such games weak. Is this perhaps a result of their game mechanic and rules system? What else can a fast-paced game in which you defeat hundreds of opponents be about? I agree that games can be interesting despite weak storylines. Different games in different ways. How are the big-budget action games that we are discussing interesting? Are they similar to sports? Is it all about the adrenaline that is released by tension and victories? Or is it, as Raph Koster would claim, about the joy of learning to recognize abstract patterns? 

DL: It’s true that fast-paced action and the simplistic goal of clearing subsequent levels is not very conducive to subtle storytelling. However, when interaction and atmosphere are developed in a good way, you don’t necessarily need a highly original storyline to engage the players. These two parameters are so powerful that they almost function on their own. And that’s what you see in a lot of games, both mainstream and independent: the story is just a mere pretext. Nonetheless, we are convinced that it is not impossible to combine deeper psychological and emotional storytelling with pumping action. We believe this is definitely an aspect of future game development. And it’s not that all action games have terrible storylines. Also, gamers really appreciate efforts to build up engaging scenarios. 

To answer your last question about the adrenaline that is released by tension and victories and the joy of learning to recognize abstract patterns, both are certainly aspects that can perfectly work together. 

ToT: I have a few questions in response to "Nonetheless, we are convinced that it is not impossible to combine deeper psychological and emotional storytelling with pumping action." First of all, I was just going to ask you: why do you think so many of these games are set in war zones? Is there a link between games and war, perhaps? Or is it just a convention? 

DL: Conflict, battling, winning & losing are simply inherent in games. This can be in a very literal way such as in FPS games, but also in a way more abstract way such as in chess or Tetris. This inherent character leads naturally to war settings and narratives. There’s no surprise there. Such games are appealing to a large audience and sell well. It’s like a safe bet for a publisher. Of course action should not be narrowed down to war action. There’s so may other types of intense action that are equally popular. Just look at the massive success of the Wii and Guitar Hero. 

ToT: So far, you have been stressing the similarities between these highly immersive big-budget action games and the much more modest independent scene. But can you see something come out of the independent scene that the highly commercial games don't seem to be capable of offering? Different kinds of stories perhaps? Games without "pumping action"? Other emotions than those induced by threat and violence? 

DL: The independent scene is probably the best thing that could happen to gaming. We fully agree with you. Since these people are not bound to shareholders, they are more willing to take risks. For a lot of the small developers there’s also limited risk involved since they work on a shoestring budget or no budget at all. The indie scene is a wonderful lab for exploring both game mechanics and game narratives. Also, this scene is much more accessible and usually the developers specifically ask for feedback that they can implement in improved or new versions. It's this collaborative and open nature of the scene that makes it so attractive to us. Then again, borders are blurring and independent games are also finding their way into mainstream consoles. Good examples of this are flOw and Everyday Shooter which are a big success on the PS3. 

flOw (thatgamecompany, 2007)

ToT: In all other other art forms, critical praise and commercial success seem to be diametrically opposed. This almost leads to a form of snobbery where anything successful cannot possibly be considered "good". But games seem to go for the other extreme: "good" games sell well, or successful games are good because they are successful. There seems to be an eerie link between winning in the virtual battle of the game and winning in the marketplace. What do you think about the level of testosterone in games culture?

DL: It’s true that mainstream game journalists often lose their critical attitude simply because a game or game series is popular. Look at Halo 2, hardly an innovative or creative game, but when it came out it was hyped to such an extent that no journalist even dared to analyze it in a really critical way. The Gamespot/Jeff Gerstmann scandal also brought to the forefront what had been in most critical gamers minds: how can we be certain that mainstream game critics are free to write what they really think? The gaming press is mostly funded by ads of the same games they are critiquing. In a way game criticism is still very young. It's slowly building its language and finding its references. It also took a while for the first serious film critics to appear after the films of the Lumière brothers. We're quite confident that apart from the current publicity-oriented "criticism", another way of analysing more mainstream games is going to arise. 

It's also important to point out here that here’s currently more than just mainstream journalism. There’s a very active blogging community that writes about independent games, and that’s basically where we get our information from. These people are not bound to publishers or developers and can write in a much more open and critical way. Definitely a healthy counterweight for abysmal mainstream journalism.
 

On Friday night, October 31, I will talk about my new project Translucent Futures at FoAM Brussels. The presentation starts at 6:00pm and is followed by a Hallow’s Eve party. Attendance is free, so please join us. 

Translucent Futures is an artistic/activist platform that I initiated several months ago and deals with the increasing abrasion of civil liberties through ubiquitous, networked, miniaturized technology. Far-reaching use of techniques such as data mining, audiovisual surveillance, automated behavioural analysis, see-through body scanning, DNA profiling etc. is being legislated at a disturbing rate. While governmental and corporate use of these technologies is consistently pushed further into the realms of daily life, the opposite seems to be the case for civilians: technologies can only be used under firm restrictions, or are simply not accessible. Data mining for example is widely used by corporations, while the same activity when carried out by an individual is too easily labelled 'hacking'. 

Regardless of activist groups continuously questioning these issues, the larger public does not appear well-informed. The complexity, diversity and speed of current technological developments can be daunting. Moreover, many of these developments and techniques are applied in secrecy and can hardly be discerned by an untrained eye. This automatically raises vital questions about contemporary civil liberties and the relation between civilians and government. If most techniques only become visible after we transgress the law (e.g. introduced as evidence), should we be worried at all? Or should we rather strive for a fully transparent society based on accountability, where the 'watchers' can also be watched, at all times? 

Translucent Futures hopes to keep the attention to the imperative problem of eroding civil liberties in modern hi-tech society. The project is set up in close collaboration with FoAM in Brussels and the support of a growing list of other organizations ({nadine}, Brussels, The Hub Brussels, etc.). The objective is to combine open collaborative research, multidisciplinary dialogue, artistic practice and activism. 

On October 31, I will present a first round-up of the project. Research was started in June at FoAM, and continued at a residency at {nadine} in September and October. The meeting starts with a short introduction outlining the project’s main goals and research approach through mindmapping, wiki-building and collaboration with specialists from different fields. 

During my residency at {nadine} in Brussels I started the preproduction of a live documentary dealing with issues raised in Translucent Futures. As such, my research shifted from a strictly theoretical to a more practical, applied approach. Two specific topics are explored in more detail: representation of the digital and dystopia in cyberpunk from the late 80s/early 90s, and hacking culture. Both serve as inspirational background material to shape the documentary project. The contemporary (political) relevance of archetypal examples of cyberpunk such as Neuromancer from William Gibson and Snow Crash from Neal Stephenson will be elaborated. The presentation will conclude with a personal selection of video clips of cyberpunk/dystopian movies. 

After the research gathering, FoAM, {nadine} and the Guild for Reality Integrators and Generators invite you to cultivate the vegetal side of your mind... From dystopia to heterotopia, from human-machine to human-plant interactions, a post-cyberpunk eve for retro-techno-pagans, archaic revivalists, lab-witches, eco-nomads, pre & post millenial cultists. gRiggers are preparing an evening of ethnobotanical cooking, cyberbotanical lighting, autumn tunes, with viriditas and thalience diffused through the air, culminating in a (pre)futuristic celebration of the All Hallow's Eve.
 

Biological computing has gotten one step closer using RNA molecules inside living cells. RNA is the lesser known cousin of DNA. It has an almost identical molecular structure, except that it contains one extra oxygen atom which makes it much more reactive. DNA codes genes; RNA reads those genes and consequently translates them into the proteins that all living matter is consisting of (on this planet at least). 

For the new method of biological computing a specific type of RNA is used: a hammerhead ribozyme. It cuts up other RNA molecules and as such can stop genes from getting translated, and thus can simply stop genes from functioning. Researchers modified the ribozyme's structure in such a way that it is only active when a specific compound binds to it. And it’s here that its computational potential kicks in. Hook up the modified hammerhead ribozyme to a green fluorescence gene, and an organism containing that gene will stop glowing green as soon as the specific compound is present. 

Since there are two binding locations in the hammerhead ribozyme, you can easily build an AND logical gate: two different molecules need to be present in order to activate the ribozyme. An OR gate is built by hooking up two different ribozymes to the green fluorescence gene, each one sensitive for a different compound: if at least one compound is present, the ribozyme will be activated and stop the gene from working. 

With these simple building blocks more elaborate biological computing can be imagined. New Scientist put it this way: Future models of the living computer, made from the DNA-like molecule RNA, could be used to run calculations in vivo - that is, inside human cells - to release drugs or prime the immune system at the first hint of illness. 

See also the Ars Technica article for a clear explanation of this new and fascinating technique.
 

Recently I bumped into this truly amazing discovery about the creation of ‘artificial life’ in space. It seems nonorganic dust particles organize themselves into helical structures when held in the form of plasma in zero gravity. The astonishing thing is that these structures exhibit all characteristics of life: they contain code, have memory, reproduce and can pass on their code to a next generation. Time to reconsider what life is all about. Water as a prerequisite? Forget about that… 

Here’s some quotes from a Times article of August 12 last year: 

An international panel from the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Max Planck institute in Germany and the University of Sydney found that galactic dust could form spontaneously into helixes and double helixes and that the inorganic creations had memory and the power to reproduce themselves. 

The particles are held together by electromagnetic forces that the scientists say could contain a code comparable to the genetic information held in organic matter. It appeared that this code could be transferred to the next generation. 

Professor Greg Morfill, of the Max Planck institute of extra-terrestrial physics, said: “Going by our current narrow definitions of what life is, it qualifies. “The question now is to see if it can evolve to become intelligent. It’s a little bit like science fiction at the moment. The potential level of complexity we are looking at is of an amoeba or a plant. 

The findings have provoked speculation that the helix could be a common structure that underpins all life, organic and nonorganic.
 

The upcoming week is going to be busy with my presentations at PICNIC 08 in Amsterdam (read my former post for more details), and my participation in TippingPoint Germany 2008 in Potsdam, Berlin. 

Artist Bartaku/Bart Vandeput and myself were invited by the British Council to represent Belgium during the upcoming edition of the annual TippingPoint climate conference. This is from their website: The TippingPoint format originated in the UK with two conferences organised in Oxford in 2005 and 2006. The aim is to bring together scientists and artists for a sharing of thinking on climate change and a cross-fertilisation of ideas, feelings and plans to take place. Ideally, scientists are enthused by the possibility that their own messages may be more effectively transmitted by working alongside artists. For artists there is an aspiration to inspire new works which may help to convey key climate change messages. 

The event is organized by the British Council in collaboration with the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) on September 28 and 29. The location of the gathering is the Great Refractor, an expansive, larger than life telescope located on the Albert Einstein Research Campus.
 

This weekend is the last chance to go and see the exhibition COASTOMIZE! and other MIXED REALITIES in the beautiful country side of the Flemish Ardennes. This comes from the curatorial mission statement: On the one hand, this exhibition is built as an invitation by COASTOMIZE!, which is a project team of about fifteen artists, architects, scientists, and designers, and on the other hand MIXED REALITIES, which is a selection of laureates of the Higher Institute of Fine Arts (HISK) in Ghent/Antwerp, who mainly use new media in their art practice. (...) In our post-industrial information society, new technologies have co-created an ‘image/code’ culture in which man and machine have grown ever closer to one another, and have profoundly changed the way in which we create, distribute and conserve our culture. 

The exhibit is distributed over several historical locations, and takes the Provincial Archaeological Museum in Velzeke as a starting point. Several art pieces have been integrated in old industrial buildings and try to create a dialogue with the particularity of the location. 

I show the video installation The Storm Glitch, a compilation of internet videos featuring so-called ‘breakouts’ in computer games. Breakouts are unscripted routes that players discover where they can leave the predefined boundaries of the game for a virtual area that is not supposed to be accessible to the gamer. Gamers post breakouts to boast about their knowledge of the game and to share the information so others can go and explore these realms as well. I compiled videos from the game series Grand Theft Auto, Halo, Call of Duty, and S.T.A.L.K.E.R. [Thanks to Jin Berghmans for the installation photo.] 

BAM, the Flemish Institute for Visual, Audiovisual and Media Art, invited me for a project presentation during the upcoming PICNIC 08 event in Amsterdam, September 24-26. I will present Biomodd during the e-Art sessions that showcase 30 international electronic art projects. Morgan Riles’ Biomodd documentary (you can see a teaser here) will be continuously on display throughout the event. The film shows the development of the project's first version in Ohio in the US, and offers a personal insight into the group dynamics of the collaborators team. Tale of Tales was also invited by BAM and will showcase their virtual world The Endles Forest. 

Apart from the documentation exhibit, there are daily show-and-tell sessions by different artists and organizations such as Transmediale, MADlab, and Govcom.org. I will talk about Biomodd on September 24. The full programme can be consulted here.
 

I just got news from João Braune from Fomenta Productions that he’s interested to try and set up a Biomodd version in Brazil. Together with Ohio, Singapore and the Philippines that would make for four different cross-cultural versions. It will be exciting to see how each version will develop its own specific character guided by local conditions. I met João through Ricky Seabra, a Brazilian artist who attended my artist talk at Victorian Circus IV in Amsterdam, last April. After that he wrote a wonderful email about Biomodd. I’ll quote a part of that here. 

Firstly, I have to reiterate that I found the Biomodd project fantastic and for me it has become a metaphor for a new look at the future. I can pretty much say that I have always been an old school futurist; I grew up on Space 1999, Star Trek, Jetson’s, Blade Runner etc... I always related things that went faster & higher, things highly technological to the future. Plus I grew up in Brasilia, a utopian vision for a city. I was always fascinated with airplanes and skyscrapers until 9/11 changed my notions of what I considered futuristic or glamorous. That’s when I got into theater (writing monologues). I summed up my feelings towards 9/11 with a performance called Airplanes and Skyscrapers in which I talk about the collapse of futurism. That was 2002. I still perform this piece but until I saw your work I realized that I haven’t really filled my futurist void. Biomodd makes the future present, organic, in touch with Gaia. It sends out a message that nature can and should occupy every part of our existence. It‘s a beautiful and effective metaphor that bridges the human/nature divide. 

I got some more photos of my recent trip to the Philippines. Aida Santos sent me some pictures of my artist talk at the UP Asian Center in Manila on August 15. And MM Yu sent me photos of my DJ performance (and Un mal pour un bien film screening) at Mag:net Katipunan the day after. I am currently collaborating with Diego Maranan to set up Biomodd in the Philippines in the summer of 2009. Right now, the whole project is still in a preparatory stage. You can follow the project's development and read more background information on this site. 

A wonderful new finding was announced in New Scientist recently: magpies can recognize themselves in a mirror and thus seem self-aware. This rather astonishing discovery has rather far-reaching consequences and may force us to rethink the functioning of our own brain. 

In the so-called 'mirror mark test', a small colored dot is placed on an animal. The animal cannot see the dot by directly looking at its own body. After that a mirror is placed in front of the animal and its behavior is being observed. If it responds by trying to remove the colored dot, this is convincing indication of self-awareness. By now a whole range of species has been investigated: but only four apes, bottlenose dolphins and Asian elephants have passed the test so far. I talk about all this in my upcoming book Baudelaire in Cyberspace. Dialogen over Kunst, Wetenschap en Digitale Cultuur (Baudelaire in Cyberspace. Dialogues on Art, Science and Digital Culture) co-written with art philosopher Antoon Van den Braembussche, and to be published by ASP/VUBPRESS in October. 

And now the magpie has passed the test as well. You can see a wonderful video here where magpies try to get rid of ‘that annoying speck’ by picking at it, or scratching it away with their feet. Self-awareness was always thought to reside in the neocortex, but magpies do not have a neocortex. A bit of a surprise. There are two plausible explanations: parallel evolution, or there is more to our awareness than one particular part of our brain…
 

Yesterday my documentary short Un mal pour un bien was screened at Green Papaya Art Projects in Manila. It was part of the Wednesday night programs curated by artist-in-residence Gelo Suarez. There were other performances and screenings by Gelo, Bea Camacho, Raya Martin, Mark Salvatus en Khavn de la Cruz. 

I introduced my film by talking about the original context in which it was conceived. In 2006, I was commissioned to create an art work for the exhibition Breugel Revisited in the National Botanical Garden of Belgium. Originally, I conceived a monumental outdoors installation entitled Fountain, island encampment and circulatory system (you can find the original proposal entirely reproduced in the exhibition catalogue). However three months before the opening, the management of the botanical garden started panicking and asked me to severely downscale my project. I refused and instead embarked on this video project about local visitors, some of whom have been coming to the botanical garden for the last 25 years. The avian flu scare of 2006 gave the whole project an unusual twist. 

This evening was actually the second event in the brand new space of Green Papaya. They relocated to a bigger space in Quezon City and will have their official opening on August 23. You can read more about the opening night events here.
 

Things are going fast here in the Philippines. After my talk in Los Baños last week, people of the Open University immediately offered support to set up a Filipino Biomodd version. My friend Diego Maranan is now enthusiastically assisting me in creating a local network to make that happen. On Friday August 15, I am giving an extra talk at the University of the Philippines Asian Center (Romulo Hall) both for potential partners, and for people that missed my two other presentations. Diego also launched a website outlining the first ideas for the new Los Baños Biomodd project. The current plan is to create a version outside Manila, showcase it locally, and then bring it to a Manila arts venue for a second exhibit. 

We’re also exploring possibilities to collaborate with the craftspeople of Paete, renowned for their woodcarving work. In this way, an unusual handmade wooden case for the computer cluster and ecosystem could be envisioned. At the same time, such a collaboration could also provide the basis for discussions on themes of the colonial/postcolonial binary, authenticity, and "modernization" 

On Wednesday August 13, I will screen my documentary short Un mal pour un bien at Green Papaya Arts Projects. This is part of an evening programme of performances and presentations curated by artist-in-residence Gelo Suarez. Gelo and me conclude the night with a jam session of storytelling and DJing. Gelo reads extracts of Street Smarts, his ongoing project on taxi driver stories, and I respond by creating an electronic backdrop of ominous game music. [Thanks to MM Yu for the photo.] 

After my trip to Singapore, I have now arrived in the intense and mesmerizing Manila area in the Philippines. Tomorrow I'm performing with artist Angelo Suarez at Green Papaya Art Projects in Quezon City. He's currently artist in residence at Green Papaya and is working on a text-based performance in which he uses dialogues and communications from local taxi drivers. I'll be improvising and responding to his texts by DJing electronic and 8-bit music.  

After that I'll give an artist talk about Biomodd and Translucent Futures. The latter is a new artistic research project on civil liberties and technology set up in collaboration with FoAM in Brussels. On Friday, August 8, I'll be giving the same talk at the Open University in Los Baños, south of Manila. 

I am invited to talk about the Biomodd project in Singapore during the ISEA conference. I will present the results of the first Biomodd version that was created during my artist residency at The Aesthetic Technologies Lab in Athens, Ohio, 2007-2008. The collaborative work process will be illustrated using work sketches, photos and participant testimonies. This will be complemented by clips from the recently completed Biomodd documentary by Morgan Riles. The talk concludes with drafts for subsequent versions in Asia and South America. In addition to my talk, I will also be part of the Luminous Green workshop and panel discussion set up by FoAM. 

Two years ago I was present at the former ISEA conference that was organized in San Jose in Silicon Valley. I talked about Blue Shift there and was consequently invited by the people of The Aesthetic Technologies Lab to come over for a residency. It’s all connected… 

I will also perform with a DJ set of game tunes and remixes during the ISEA2008 Club Nights at Post-Museum in Singapore. These nights showcase a mix of electronic and experimental music by local and international artists. That should be interesting. My first performance in Asia. 

This is some more info from the respective ISEA and Post-Museum websites: 

ISEA or the International Symposium on Electronic Art initiated in 1988 and is the world's premier media arts event for the critical discussion and showcase of creative productions applying new technologies in interactive and digital media. Held biannually in various cities throughout the world, this migratory event is being held in Asia for the second time in its history, after Singapore successfully secured this bid. The event takes place from July 25 till August 4. 

Post-Museum is a new cultural space which seeks to examine contemporary life, promote the arts and connect people. It is a project initiated by Singaporean curatorial team p-10 and opened in September 2007. Through its activities, it aims to respond to its location and community, as well as serve as a hub for local and international cultures.