Paul D. Miller (http://djspooky.com), known by his stage name DJ Spooky, That Subliminal Kid (born 1970), is a Washington DC-born electronic and experimental hip hop musician whose work is often called by critics or his fans as “illbient” or “trip hop”. He is a turntablist, a producer, a philosopher, and an author. He borrowed his stage name from the character The Subliminal Kid in the novel Nova Express by William S. Burroughs. He is a Professor of Music Mediated Art at the European Graduate School.
Brian Greene (http://www.ted.com/talks/brian_greene_on_string_theory.html) is a Professor of Physics and Mathematics at Columbia University, and is recognized for a number of groundbreaking discoveries in his field of superstring theory. His books are widely read.
Ross A. Virginia (http://www.dartmouth.edu/~ravirg/index.html) Director of Arctic Studies at Dartmouth College, a world renowned expert on Antarctica, is an ecosystem ecologist interested in human influence on biogeochemical cycles in terrestrial systems. His emphasis is on understanding how processes such as desertification and climate change alter plant-soil interactions and the ecology, biodiversity and functioning of soils. His research examines carbon and nitrogen cycling in deserts, including the arid lands of the southwest and the polar deserts of Antarctica, the McMurdo Dry Valleys. He is also interested in the relationships between the disciplines of ecology, ecosystem science and environmental law.
The Book of Ice: http://www.djspooky.com/antarctica/THE_BOOK_OF_ICE_excerpt.pdf (Free PDF Sample)
Seung H-Sang (http://gb.or.kr/) Curator 2011 Gwangju Design Biennale, has completed Paju Book City project in Korea, and he has gained international recognitions through projects like Guggenheim Pavilion in Abu Dhabi, Chao-Wei SOHO project in Beijing as well as Korea DMZ Peace-Life Valley, the graveyard of late former President Roh Moo-hyun and Commune by the Great Wall in Beijing. He served as a commissioner of Korean Pavilion for Venice Architecture Biennale in 2008. He has established and operated the architectural firm, Iroje since 1989.
Ai WeiWei (http://gb.or.kr/) Curator 2011 Gwangju Design Biennale, is influential artist, curator, social commentator and activist. His ground-breaking work, Sunflower Seeds, was recently presented at the Tate Modern Turbine Hall. The work consisted of 100 million porcelain seeds, each individually hand painted by 1,600 Chinese artisans. Ai’s work has been exhibited in Venice Biennale, Kassel Documenta, Guangzhou Triennial, Sydney Biennale and many other institutions. He has also participated in Beijing Olympic Stadium project modeled after the bird nest designed by the Swiss architects, Herzog & De Meuron.
Gwangju Biennale (http://gb.or.kr/): Founded in 1995 in memory of spirits of civil uprising of the 1980 repression of the Gwangju Democratization Movement, the Gwangju Biennale is Asia’s oldest and most prestigious biennial of contemporary art. Under the helm of previous curators that include Kerry Brougher, Sukwon Chang, Okwui Enwezor, Charles Esche, Hou Hanru, Honghee Kim, Yongwoo Lee, Youngchul Lee, Kwangsoo Oh, Wankyoung Sung, and Harald Szeemann, the Gwangju Biennale has established itself as a highlight of the international contemporary art biennale circuit. Centered on the Biennale Hall in Gwangju’s Jungoui Park, the presence has elevated the city of 1.4 million to become a cultural hub of East Asia. It is home to some of the best-preserved cultural relics in the nation, and is known locally as the “City of Art, Cuisine and Culture Previous editions of Biennales went under the titles Beyond the borders(1995), Unmapping the Earth(1997), Man +Space(2000), Pause(2002), A Grain of Dust, A Drop of Water(2004), Fever Variations(2006) and Annual Report : A year in Exhibitions(2008), 10000 Lives (2010)it first help a pre-biennale (June 18 – 27) that year and officially established the Gwangju Design Biennale in 2005 based on experiences from the pre-biennale. The Gwangju Design Biennale distinguishes itself from other design exhibitions or fairs by featuring unique planning and configuration that actively incorporate not only the aesthetic and practical value of design but also socio-cultural relationships. Its emphasis is laid on understanding the trends of domestic and international design and cultural phenomena and expanding publicity. Therefore, the Gwangju Design Biennale pursues the convergence and consilience of all design fields, rather than classifying each genre, and features cubic and experimental activities of visual culture.
Art Center Nabi (http://nabi.or.kr) is an art museum in Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea. Since its opening (Circa 2000,) Art Center Nabi has actively promoted new media arts in Korea. Exploring new possibilities of creation, education, and exhibition of media arts, Art Center Nabi has been in the forefront of the convergence of art and media technologies of the time.