Alter Nature

In Alter Nature the focus is on changing nature. That humankind has an impact on nature is beyond question: we have been consciously changing nature since the beginning of time. This can range from the displacement and demarcation of nature to the setup of selective cultivation programmes; from animal species being bred into the perfect specimens and plant types that are grown to be more productive, to roses and carnations produced in all colours of the rainbow.

Over the last decade, developments in bioscience and technology have given this evolution new momentum. Conjuring genetic material out of nothing, or growing human skin in a laboratory; it may sound like futuristic science fiction, but this is reality.

People have altered nature to fulfil all sorts of needs: nutrition, health and protection, but also aesthetics, experiment, success, myth or just pure curiosity. Whatever the reason or form may be, this interference in nature has not only fundamentally shaken our views on and the functioning of our society. Rather, the term ‘nature’ itself is being continually challenged.

What’s more, these developments have inspired not just scientists, but also artists, fashion and other designers. For this reason, Z33, the Fashion Museum, CIAP, the Flemish Institute for Biotechnology, the University of Hasselt and the MAD faculty have joined forces to present four different exhibitions and a symposium. 50 artists and designers explore how we can and do change nature, and how this changes our view of the world.

ALTER NATURE : WE CAN
Z33 – Vleugel ‘58
Alter Nature: We Can shows the work of 20 international contemporary artists and designers. The exhibition focuses on the different ways in which people have displaced, manipulated or designed nature: from small gardens to private islands, from carrots and bonsai trees to acoustic plants and orange pheasants.

ALTER NATURE : HARDER, BETTER, FASTER, STRONGER
CIAP
CIAP shows work of about ten international artists that reflects the different ways in which man can focus on himself as nature. The exhibition contains pieces in which the body is perceived and used as a subject for manipulation. Rather than understanding the body as a complex whole, the presented works suggest an understanding of the body as a familiar machine, a mechanism that can be manipulated, used and improved.

ALTER NATURE: THE FUTURE THAT NEVER WAS
Fashion Museum Hasselt
Fashion Museum of Hasselt (MMH) shows visions of the future from the past, and the possible future of tomorrow.  The Future That Never Was presents a ‘futuristic’ view on the magical year 2000 from designers from the sixties and shows you a glance of new possibilities of tomorrow.

ALTER NATURE: THE UNNATURAL ANIMAL
Z33 – Hoge Ruimtes
Against a backdrop of progress in biosciences and technology, Tuur Van Balen and Revita Cohen create critical design objects and installations that meet with and speculate on changing customs, standards and values which could possibly influence our (social) lives in a biological revolutionary era.

ALTER NATURE: MY BIOLOGICAL (R)EVOLUTION
Z33 & MAD Faculty
Students of the MAD-Faculty work together around the issues raised by biosciences and advanced technology, more specifically, synthetic biology. The project takes place in the first semester of the academic year 2010-2011 within the module ‘Stories’ (module for the master students in Communication and Multimedia Design students MDA) and the studios ‘Painting’ (students 2nd Bachelor Painting PHL) and New Media (Master students of PHL).
The results of this project will be on show at the exhibition My biological (r)evolution at Z33.

CIAP vzw
Armand Hertzstraat 21 bus 1
B-3500 Hasselt
&
Z33
Zuivelmarkt 33
B-3500 Hasselt
November 20th – March 13th 2011