“Deep time is inherently fascinating, and Gondwana is a term we all grew up hearing in the Southern Hemisphere. What I’ve tried to do is take readers back to Gondwana in some way. I see imagination as a necessary tool to put you back in those vanished worlds, and crucial in the evolution of science. It was for Gondwana. It required imagination to break out of old ways of thinking and biblical timescales and understand the earth was much, much older than we could have possibly imagined.”
Since launching in 2020 the OMV Steam Lab stage has become a place of innovation and imagination. It delves into the fascinating intersection of science, technology, engineering, art and math and in 2024 boasts palaeontologists, beer brewers, architectural trailblazers, professors, mathematicians and artificial intelligence experts.
Womad NZ’s associate programming director Josie Hunter-Annand says the stage is a perfect fit for the festival, which at its heart is about discovery.
“By giving a platform to our great thinkers and innovators here in Aotearoa, in a somewhat unconventional space, such as Womad, we’re breaking down barriers and putting perhaps a new audience in front of speakers and concepts that may not otherwise intersect,” she says.
“We must be onto something, as the programme has steadily grown in popularity each year. We owe it all to the support of our sponsor OMV, and to our amazing audience, who trust us to deliver, and who show up to each festival, curious, open minded and always hungry for the opportunity to evolve.”
OMV NZ’s general manager Henrik Mosser says Steam Lab is a hub of curiosity and diverse new perspectives.
“It brings together innovators, inventors and enthusiasts whilst encouraging festival-goers to explore, question and appreciate the wonderful world of steam.”
Innovation and technology are vital to the growth of global energy providers like OMV, and encouraging creative, diverse thinking is at the heart of that, he says.
“The marrying of science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics mirrors OMV’s vision to be at the forefront of energy solutions that not only meet current needs but pave the way for a sustainable and circular future. Steam plays a pivotal role in shaping the future and we are excited to bring this platform to the local community.”
The details:
What: Womad NZ
When: March 15-17
Where: Brooklands Park, New Plymouth
Tickets: www.womad.co.nz
