MAB14 – Media Architecture Biennale at Godsbanen

Thursday evening marked the grand opening of 2014’s Media Architecture Biennale. Among others, the opening had speeches from the Mayor of Aarhus, the Chairman of the Council in Central Denmark Region and Programme Coordinator at Aarhus 2017 Trine Bang. Afterwards there was food and bubbles in the raw frames of Godsbanen, where 35 different pieces are on display. The exhibition is free, open to everyone and can be enjoyed until Saturday afternoon.

Mayor of Aarhus Jacob Bundsgaard said it well: the next few months in Denmark really are not very cosy or fun, with the exception of the Christmas Holidays. It is cold, dark and wet.

However, in darkness comes light, which is an apt metaphor for the development of Aarhus and the concept of ‘Smart City’ that is part of the strategy. According to the Mayor, the future demands of us that we visualize the proposed solutions to the complex challenges of tomorrow to ensure that everyone understands them. The combination of the visual and the digital is important. Therefore, media architecture is an important field.

Chairman of the Council in Central Denmark Region Bent Hansen agreed with the Mayor and further emphasized the importance of openness, when it comes to rethinking and welcoming new, different ideas and ways of thinking. This sort of inclusion and innovation will create sustainable cities and prepare us for the future.

Pro-Rector from Aarhus University Berit Eika considered the technological (r)evolution in the last 30 years in her speech. The development has been fast and furious, and if someone would have claimed that in 2014 over four million Danes would own a mobile device, she would have written it off as science fiction. She continued:

“But the fact is: mankind has always been evolving. And we must not be outdone. Traditional solutions no longer cut it. We need to be innovative and rethink. It will demand synergy between working fields to create that totally different city, Aarhus will be in 30 years. And it needs not only to be new solutions – but the right ones,” said Berit Eika from Aarhus University.

Programme Coordinator at Aarhus 2017 Trine Bang focused on the fact that it is essential that we remain curious and invest in new dreams and new approaches. And art and culture can pre-visualize the future, so that people working outside the field can relate to it.

Keynote speaker Adam Greenfield from The London School of Economics finished the opening ceremony. He challenged the media architects in the room with this call to action:

“Aim higher than simple digital advertising on buildings. Remember your social responsibility and create the most ambitious narrative on media architecture that you can possibly imagine,” said Greenfield.

After the opening you could wander the halls of Godsbanen and observe the 35 pieces on display. Many of them demand the participation of the viewer. Based on the life and buzz at Godsbanen Thursday evening, this was something that the participants thoroughly enjoyed. The exhibition is free, open to everyone and can be enjoyed until Saturday afternoon.

Aarhus University and the Media Architecture Institute host MAB 14. European Capital of Culture Aarhus 2017 is one of the main partners.

The Biennale is the second of its kind. The visiting numbers have more than doubled since the first biennale in 2012.

See the whole programme (including speakers and conferences) here.

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