João Martinho Moura, STARTS Residencies Artist

Opening of NATO Headquarters Art Exhibition

The NATO Arts Programme was created in 2016 to emphasise NATO’s vision and core values integrated in the overall image of the new HQ building. Since the move to the new HQ, they are already seeing the first results. For example, the NATO Arts Heritage Hub on the ground floor of the Public Square displays art donated to NATO by Allied countries. And in keeping with NATO’s focus on modernisation, NATO will soon begin showcasing contemporary artists from Allied nations.

Interactive Media and Fine Arts make up one of the four work streams in the Arts Framework, displaying digital art that highlights the Alliance’s role as a consultative body promoting peace and security. Interactive art is a dialogue among the artist, the spectators and the work of art, as well as between the spectators themselves.

An art exhibition belonging to this work stream is coming to NATO Headquarters in March and will be inaugurated by the Deputy Secretary General Rose Gottemoeller. The opening will take place at 12.30 on 6 March 2019 in the building’s central Agora. It will feature the Portuguese artist João Martinho Moura, who works through interactive digital platforms. Rather than simply watching, the public interacts with the art and participates in its creation, briefly becoming a part of it.

An example can be seen in the picture below, where the movements of an observer are reflected in the artwork. This interactive media art display will be placed in the Agora using the giant LED screen. Interactive art creates a bridge between different participants, encouraging dialogue and a shared experience.  By turning observers into active participants, the Interactive Media and Fine Arts illustrate and contribute to dialogue and the consultative process.