On May 11, the mentors met each other in person for the very first time. After touring the HKW - Haus der Kulturen der Welt together, they engaged in an animated discussion about the applicants, their project proposals and how to present them at the Forecast Forum.
More than 360 applicants from a total of 70 countries scattered all over the world submitted their project proposals to Forecast. A selection of proposals, which were announced on June 1, will be presented during the Forecast Forum in August. But the question is: How? The mentors, together with the Forecast team, talked intensely about how to create a framework that guides the viewer through the different ideas, without restraining the instrinsic potential of any single idea. As the mentors pointed out, the proposals that are to be presented during the Forum come from highly varied disciplines. On the one hand, the presentation as a whole has to feel like a repertoire but on the other, each element of that repertoire should be given the necessary space to move, to develop and to communicate its possibilities.
It was decided that a semi-permanent presentation should display all project ideas during the three days of the Forum. Additionally, live presentations will enable all participants to introduce themselves and their ideas to the audience individually. The mentors see themselves as helping hands to condense the proposals into one or a few elements and then present them as teasers, within an environment that connects the different ideas harmoniously. Thus, Forecast is not just about creating a platform, but also about creating opportunities to develop ideas, methods, and ways of working. With ideas spread all over the building, the HKW will become a test lab and backdrop, inviting the public to experience the project ideas as models, videos or performances. In public discussions, the participants and mentors will furthermore address contemporary issues in their respective fields, thereby making Forecast a shared space to come together and exchange views.
Photos: Dorothea Tuch