The BAD Special Weekend took place on 24 and 25 March, hosting several workshops, films and lectures in conjunction with the ‘Beyond Borders & Binaries’ exhibition.

On Friday evening, the first lecture was presented by Ariane Koek, founder of Arts at CERN who highlighted the intersection of art, science, technology and nature within the contemporary context. In her talk, she outlined the complex history of the often Western dichotomy and made critical comments on contrasting science and technology on the one hand, and nature and planet on the other. She combined this approach with her fascination with geological inertia and advancing technologies.

The second lecture was given by Adriana Knouf, a participant in the current exhibition. Adriana Knouf presented a film about her latest project TX-2, in which she advocates the decolonisation of space by allowing Mars and other planets to be ‘visited’ no longer by humans, but by lichens, which are inherently better prepared for the unrelenting conditions of the universe.

The evening ended with an interactive discussion between Ariane, Adriana and the audience present. It is an inspiring kickstart to the workshops on the next day!