The term bug has two meanings. It is both an insect and a programming error. Something unexpected, strange in the system. The BUG Exhibition showed these kinds of works: surprising and provocative pieces in the universe of the internet. It was the first and most comprehensive Brazilian exhibition regarding the broad field of interactive and immersive narratives. More than 50 works were shown, encompassing 4 floors of the Oi Futuro Flamengo Cultural Center in Rio de Janeiro. The public was estimated at 10-thousand people.
The Exhibition was a Bug404 initiative together with the production company, Automática, and was curated by André Paz, Julia Salles, and Arnau Gifreu. Between 13 August and 9 September 2018, about 50 immersive and interactive narratives were exhibited. It was an introduction to the international scene as well as to national production. Web documentaries, interactive documentaries, 360o videos, virtual reality animation, augmented reality narratives, sound maps, transmedia installations on websites, cell phones, tablets, computers, and through virtual reality goggles. See the full BUG Exhibition program here: https://www.bug404.net/programacao/.
The BUG Exhibition received 10-thousand visitors in total, with a 98.7% approval rating from the audience according to a study held by the BugLab extension and outreach program of the Rio de Janeiro State Federal University (UNIRIO), which interviewed over 400 people.
The International BUG Lab Conference was held in parallel with the exhibition, and was coordinated by André Paz (UNIRIO) and Kátia Augusta Maciel (PPGTLCOM/UFRJ). Speeches, debates and workshops were held with researchers and creators from Brazilian and international universities, including participants from New York, Massachusetts, Montreal, London, Barcelona, Medellin and Valparaiso. See the full Conference program here: https://www.bug404.net/conferencia-buglab/
The workshops were held in the Oi Futuro Music and Sound Experimentation Laboratory (Labsonica). See the program here: https://www.bug404.net/oficinas/
The BUG Exhibition was produced by Automática – Contemporary Art Production, held by Oi Futuro Flamengo, and sponsored by the Rio de Janeiro Secretary of Culture, with support from the LTDS – Social Technology and Development Laboratory, of PPGTLCOM (ECO/UFRJ), from UFRJ and UNIRIO. All exhibition credits can be found here: https://www.bug404.net/creditos-da-mostra/
