An artist interprets the theme ‘Chaos versus control’. What do they think about? They will paint their canvas with controlled brush strokes. The viewer sees these as being coincidental or crossing over into chaos. Now the artist asks their canvas to dance. But the canvas reacts and begins to scream. The chaos breaks out.

Chaos versus Control was the final theme at the World Bodypainting Festival 2007. It was a theme that inspired like an explosion. It is about power, a power that consumes humanity. Too much control pushes people into the opposite direction. And when they are pushed too far the wish for stability and control grows even stronger. A ping-pong game of longings and demands.

Artists from 35 nations worldwide were able to exhibit their interpretations of the theme at the 10 year anniversary of the event. These interpretations were as wide ranging as their origins and cultures.

Seeboden has been the showground fort the largest event in the theme of bodypainting for 10 years now. Artists from all over the world have created their Mecca here and it will hopefully continue with full strength this way for many years more. The hall of fame at the festival entrance was to honour the winners from the previous years. This will of course be extended over the years to come.

It is my annual goal to build a horizon full with thousands of people each year. These people, this audience, is there for everyone so that after weeks of preparation they can present there work on a stage with a view fitting to their creativity. It was a festival full of emotion. You could feel it from the beginning to the last minute of the after show party.

Many thanks for the best festival of all time.

See you soon,
Alex Barendregt

The temperatures this year reminded some people of the last years. But the heat wave of up to 40 degrees couldn’t keep the thousands of visitors from coming to admire the works of the best artists from around the world.

Almost 20,000 visitors admired the work of artists from all over the world.
(registered nations)

This year artists from the furthest corner of the earth, New Zealand, also took part in the festival.

The main days from the 20th to the 22nd of July were the highlight with the presentation of the World Bodypainting Awards presented by Kryolan. But from the beginning of the week there was already a lot of action.

The Festival feek from the 15th of July:

The festival began this year with an event at the Kölnbreinsperre damn. Together with various festival participants we drove up to Austrias highest damn and after a quick bodypainting session, threw ourselves dressed as super heroes from a crane into 165. depth.

<<Click to view the videoclip>>

The workshops began on the 16th of July. These were held in small groups and run by professionals.
With our partners and sponsors we were able to present an extensive and high quality program.

The 4 days special effects workshop was presented by the company "Blond and Braun". The teacher Stefan von Essen from Berlin (Unechtelebensformen.de) provided his knowlede in a fantastic workshop

The airbrush workshop by "Brennig Vienna" for beginners was booked within a few days.

 Because we extended the festival to include the World Facepainting Award, we also extended the workshops available in this area. This year we were able to offer a two day workshop with Fantasy Worldwide and for the first time this year a one day workshop with the Wolfe Brothers.

In the gym hall a Model Workshop was held for those who wanted to prepare for the weekends work in performance and photographic posing.

Much loved are the Bodypainting Workshops by the Canadian Jinny, who also presents her own line of products. "Paradise AQ by Mehron" are also exhibitors on the festival grounds.

A Beauty Make-up Workshop from MIST - Make up Institute Stockholm was also presented for the first time.

MAC Pro presented the Bodypainting Masterclass for experienced Bodypainters.

On Wednesday the 18th of July, the most extreme event that Carinthia  has ever seen took place in the castle Burg Sommeregg.

600 visitors from almost every nation came painted, styled, disguised and masked to Fantasy ball BodyCircus.

We were also able to welcome Life Ball Organiser Gery Keszler at BodyCircus. He spent the whole week on the Lake Millstätter See and collected impressions from the World Bodypainting Festival.

A sensational Fantasy-Styling Presentation was presented by our partner the “International Stylist School of Riga” [Latvia].

The finest clubs music was played by Radiostation HouseFM London with the Duo DJ Junior and DJ Matt Emulsion (England), the Lords of House (Austria) and DJ BK Medo (Israel).

Star Percussionist FloMuigg played on Floor 2 while the Aerial Artists from the Budapest Circus amazed partygoers.

The Castle was fitted with Plasma screens with visuals presented by the boys from "4YourEye" sponsored by Coca Cola.

The torture meuseum was the number one location last year. Again this year many people danced here till the night became the day. The castle was wrapped in the veil of fantastic figures until the grey of morning.

The photo galleries from BodyCircus can be found at Photo Galleries.

The Festival Main days with the World Awards

The Festival main days with the World Bodypainting Awards, Music and Show programm, exhibitors, photo shootings and much more were on the program from Friday the 20th till Sunday the 22nd of July.

Photo: Karsten Skrabal

For the tenth year jubilee the entrance area was presented as a "Hall of Fame" with all the winners of the World Awards since its beginning exhibited and honoured .
A water curtain and stone sculptures completed the area.

As in passed years the tropical heat was a particular challenge for artists and models which demanded a high level of concentration from many participants over many long hours.

The World Bodypainting Awards presented by Kryolan  were given in the categories Brush and sponge, Airbrush, Special Effects and the night contest Fluoro Award.

Our ten man strong Festival TV crew with the presenting duo Karala and Markus were sending live from morning until late in the evening. Impressions, live interviews, Shows and Music were broadcast onto the 25m² Video wall, to Plasma TVs on the festival grounds and on the Internet as Live-Streaming.

 Each day there was also an analysis with the artists who made it into the top three in the qualifying rounds.

Over the video walls the audience were able to again see the works and presentations of the top artists from each day.

Friday was the 1st day fort he category Brush and Sponge.

The artists had from 10.30 in the morning till 4.30 in the afternoon to finish work in this category. The outstanding work was presented on the stage after the evaluation by the jury.

Photo: Joachim Bergauer

The specialised exhibitor area was open daily, presenting the most important companies from the industry. 

Photos: Karsten Skrabal

In the exhibition area the visitors were able to test and purchase new products. The exhibition area was presented in two large tent areas.  

For the first time the company da Vinci were present with a wide range of brushes for Make-up, Bodypainting and canvas artists.

At many of the stands it was possible to get hands on. At Y-Body there was a public prize presented.

It was possible to watch the presentations on the main stage while enjoying a delicious buffet meal in the Kryolan Festival Lounge.

It was also possible to print out photos made at the festival in the highest quality on site at the Canon stand.

The Photo art exhibition “BodyWorks” was presented on the festival grounds on all three days for visitors to admire. .

The exhibition was presented by „Fotowerkstatt & Galerie Nieser“ [Germany], the photoclub Stuttgart  and “GOfotoX” magazine.

On Friday evening the boys from Stamping Feet heated up the crowd. The drumming storm from Berlin pumped up the crowds with the heavy beats and stage show.

In the evening it got incredibly dark. The World Fluoro Award presented by Kryolan were given.

With the Fluoro Awards the Jury also take into account the presentations where the effect is displayed. Because of this there are some fantastic shows and performances.

Photo: Oswin Eder

The second main day was the pre-selection for Airbrush and Special Effects.

Again the high temperatures stayed with us and tested the patience of the already strained artists and models. 

Photo: Ulf Scherling

A new area was the World Facepainting Award, presented by Eulenspiegel (Jester).

Participants from 12 Nations took part in this category and painted to the theme "Illusions and Dreams" after which their works were presented on the main stage.

Photo: Walter Tomaschitz

Gery Keszler the organiser of Life Ball was our special guest at the festival. With Europe’s largest Aids Charity Event he has had lots of contact to bodypainters and was able again to make new contacts. The World Body Painting Association will contribute to the production side of Life Ball next year.

Photo: Dirk Hartung

During the main days of the festival a charity project for “Carinthians in need” was organised by the Kleine Zeitung Newspaper with the star photographer Joachim Bergauer.

Celebrities from various sports such as Christian Mayer, Elmar Lichtenegger, Joe Reichl, Stefan Petschnig, Thomas Raffl, Heidi Neururer and the Linger brothers, as well as Dancing Stars Andy and Kelly Keinz stood as models for the calendar. The project will be presented in October 2007. 

After the presentations on Saturday things got emotional. First the finalist of the day were announced.

In their own moments on the stage "A Tribute to friends" remembered two long time participants of the Festival Ferenc Hottya and Erik Hölbel who unexpectedly passed away in the last year.

After the Australian group "Mark Eden Band" kam came the next art highpoint.

The "Art Color Ballett" from Krakau (Poland) presented by MAC Pro danced a moving and magical modern ballet with 12 bodypainted dancers. The unique production lasted over 30 minutes and finished our Saturday program.

The Festival Sunday, the final day for all of the main categories, ran to the theme of Chaos versus control. The weather also decided to take part in the theme. 

Even though it was warm and sunny throughout the whole day, as soon as the stage presentations beggan, and massive tempest blew into the festival area. Some of the stage was damaged but we improvised and were able to get the show back up and running. 

The rest of the program had to be downplayed to get the problem under control (fitting in perfectly with the theme) and running.

Nick and Brian Wolfe visibly enjoyed the cool showers and were almost completely alone on the main place while we were trying to evacuate all models and artists from the stage. 

After the rain most of the visitors were still there and we were able to hold an emotion driven highly charged World Bodypainting Award ceremony. The winners for 2007 were just as celebrated if not more because of the storm energy.

The awards were presented by Organiser Alex Barendregt, the MC’s Markus Schenkeli and Karala Barendregt as well as Sebastian Langer from the sponsor Kryolan.

After the World Awards the Perchtengruppe Lendorf (the demins of Lendorf) whipped the audience into the right mood for our traditional massive fireworks.

The musically synchronised fireworks that honoured the participants from all corners of the earth was particularly brilliant in celebration of the ten year jubilee of the event.   

The results of the World Bodypainting Awards are available here -->

For the After show party, the guests and the participants alike, were invited to the bar tent to comfortably celebrate together. Our Resident DJ's Junior & Matt Emulsion, and Lords of House, as well as BK Medo once again turned the rhythms up.

"I look forward to seeing you again on the Lake Millstätter See in Carinthia",

Alex Barendregt