Curious? Festival of Futures – Review

The Curious? festival of Futures the best and biggest Knowledge festival in London took place at King’s Cross Saturday 23 of July envisaging the future of King’s Cross and the Knowledge Quarter, through breakthrough research, tech and communities developments.
The festival was a successful immersive experience into science, culture and art, with engaging entertainment and stimulating workshops.

King’s cross was populated by a curious crowd made of adults, students and families who came to explore many activities. It’s difficult to choose between the many highlights of the day.

Interactive installations gave the chance to peep through the world of quantum physics thanks to Exploring Infinity: Map to Quantum Physics a collaboration between Central Saint Martin and the Institute of Physics;

Wellcome Trust led younger and older explores in the world of synchrotron science, to discover how intense beams of light are used to view the structure and properties of all kinds of things; at the same time the Psychology Department displayed an exhibition on the future of the brain and the latest neurosciences, genetics and neuroimaging techniques.

 

 

King’s Cross was pinpointed by entrancing dance performances presented by the Place with dancers from Alula Cyr, showing the beauty of balance and the strength of acrobatic artistic forms.

 

Running Wild brought the audience in year 2242 in a futurist environment: an apocalyptic show, by Darren Ellis Dance in partnership with Greenwich Dance which follows a group of rouge scientists who fight to save the only nature left.

 

 

 

Pop up performances challenged standard perception and rediscovered the comic aspect in ordinary situations while Cuban music very well-tuned and harmonised with the temperature of the day.

 

As the day unfolded, many bites discussions created a space for reflections and provoking thoughts. Among these, the School of Life presented a talk on how to change the world, Bill Bankes-Jones, artistic director of Tête à Tête, set out his vision for the future of opera; the British Library’s artist-in-residence Richard Wright presented a work-in progress based on research into how to make art out of the library’s own internal databases and digital network; Dr Mohsin Choudry, from the Royal College of Physicians, questioned whether doctors are keeping up with the rapid explosion of innovative digital healthcare and empowered patients.

Throughout the day young people were spinned physically, in space balls, and mentally, discovering new opportunities and realities with the Royal Veterinary College, making electrical circuits with the Institute of Physics, looking at how to create virtual reality with Central San Martins Code club or wondering through their imagination with a special storytelling where beatbox, rap and graffiti came together.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finally delicious fruity wine coloured the afternoon of those joining the German Gymnasium in the German wine tasting experience.

Click here to see more photos from the day.

All photos rights @Iwona Pinkowicz