Vyzov Foundation Launches New Intelligence Show: ‘Challenge of Sofico’

On June 18th, the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum featured the filming of a first episode of a new intelligence show titled ‘Challenge of Sofico.’ The show is an ambitious science-and-culture project focused on dialogue between prominent artists and prominent scientists. It will consist of ten episodes featuring conversations between different pairs of remarkable personalities from either field, discussing the past, the present and the future and exploring the paradoxical overlaps between scientific discoveries and artistic creativity. The ten conversations will be moderated by show host Sophie Shevardnadze, and produced by the Vyzov Foundation with support from the Institute for Internet Development. 

“Our project is about more than just talking to famous scientists or artistic celebrities. It is a search for new meanings. A symbiosis between science and art restores our brain to its natural mode of operation, the way it was designed by nature itself, and it enables us to perceive life in all its fullness, complexity and beauty. It is a bit contrary to the current trend for simplifying everything, but it gives you an opportunity to take a fresh look at the world and at yourself. I hope our conversations will provide insight and serve as a compass in this rapidly changing world for many of our viewers,” says Sophie Shevardnadze.

The first episode of the show starred Vsevolod Belousov, Director of the Federal Center for Brain Research and Neurotechnology and a member of the VYZOV Prize Scientific Committee, and filmmaker Aleksey Uchitel, awarded the title of People’s Artists of Russia.

“It has always been apparent to me that science and art overlap. The human ability to create and appreciate art comes from the way our brain is designed. When I came into neuroscience, the first thing I wanted to know was, how does our brain perceive complex, multifaceted things that aren’t part of our basic necessities? As I was preparing for this conversation, I would ask myself questions about the relation between science and art, and it helped me redefine quite a few things,” says Vsevolod Belousov. 

“Today, you can find an answer to any question online within minutes. On the one hand, that’s convenient, but on the other hand, you don’t get to make an intellectual effort yourself. Whereas personal communication, dialogue and discussion encourage you to think, to look into the essence of things and draw unexpected parallels. That is very much like theater, where the actors’ energy provides an impulse for contemplation, which works as a kind of magic. I found today’s conversation highly exciting,” says Aleksey Uchitel. 

The Vyzov Foundation’s new production demonstrates that science and art are tools for changing the world and oneself for the better, and these tools are available to anyone. The show’s guests and their accomplishments are living examples of how inspiration and hard work can deliver extraordinary results. 

Full episodes of ‘Challenge of Sofico,’ including Episode One, which was filmed at SPIEF, will be available this fall on social media platforms such as VK and Odnoklassniki, and from START online streaming service. 

Ссылка на источник