English:BAVO (Q163711)

BAVO is an independent research office focused on the political dimension of art, architecture and planning. BAVO is a co-operation between Gideon Boie (°Brugge, 1975) and Matthias Pauwels (°Brugge, 1975), both of whom studied architecture (Sint Lucas Gent) and philosophy (Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam). Both conducted for some years research at the Theory Department of the Jan van Eyck Academy in Maastricht. Recent research focussed on creative city development and practices of embedded cultural activism. BAVO's explicit mission is to enhance public debate by means of publications, symposia and interventions. Recent publications include: Cultural Activism Today. The Art of Over-identification (Episode Publishers, 2007) and Urban Politics Now. Re-imagining Democracy in the Neoliberal City (NAi Publishers, 2007).