The  5th  L.A.S.T. (Life Art Science Technology) festival will be hosted at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory operated by Stanford University on March 23rd and 24th, 2018. -For the exhibition, L.A.S.T. is seeking artworks that advantage human-machine interaction to address new forms of engagement, participation and immersive experience  This year’s program is organized in conjunction with Frankenstein@200, a University-wide program focused on the essence of what it means to be human or monster.

 

The exhibition is inspired by the classic Gothic literature, Frankenstein, by Marry Shelly, a tragic story about Victor Frankenstein’s failure to accept responsibility for the consequences of bringing new life into the world.

 

The story of humankind is partially a history of the twists and turns posited by technological innovation. The complex relationship between intention and context sometimes converge in mysterious and unpredictable ways resulting in innovative strategies, machines, architecture, designs and creative expression.  

 

We are particularly interested in works addressing the intersection of art and science that explore the futures of HCI, AI, Virtual and Augmented Reality, Machine Learning, Biotech, Robotics, Data Visualization, Social Networks, Wearables. Interactive installations will be given priority. Artists and creators working in all formats and disciplines (visual art, installation, sculpture, sound, performance art, and hybrid media) are welcome to submit proposals.  An honorarium up to $300 will be provided based on project acceptance. When applying, please include:

 

An artist’s bio

Short description of the artwork

URL of the artist’s website

State of the project

Images or videos or other documentation of the project

Reseruces required

Floor space required

and any other relevant information 

 

The deadline for submissions is January 12, 2018.  Early submissions are encouraged.

 

A final selection will be announced by March 1st.   Artists based outside the Bay Area are welcome to submit projects, but we are unable to provide support for travel or shipping. 

 

Submissions should be directed to submit@lastfestival.org with “LAST Submission 2018” in the subject line.

 

We look forward to reviewing your proposal!

 

LAST Festival Founder and Director: Piero Scaruffi

Exhibition Curator:  Joel Slayton

 

About LAST:   The L.A.S.T. (Life Art Science Technology)  festival, founded in 2014, promotes interdisciplinary forms of technology-intensive art-making that expand the potential for audience engagement. The first L.A.S.T. festival was held in San Jose at the ZERO1 Garage on June 6-7, 2014. The second L.A.S.T. festival was held at San Francisco’s The Lab  on October 23-25, 2014. The third LAST festival took place October 15-18, 2015, at Stanford University.  The 4th L.A.S.T Festival took place in April 2017, a collaboration with San Jose State University.

 

L.A.S.T. Festivals  are structured around four program strands:

·               Art exhibition

·               Inspirational talks by luminaries on cutting-edge technology and science

·               Live performances

·               Interactive workshops and/or talks by artists

 

Previous speakers and artists can be seen at the LAST website:

www.lastfestival.org