[artinfo] ZKM/symposium/40yearsvideoart.de - Digital Heritage

[Irina Koutoudis]

ZKM | Zentrum für Kunst und Medientechnologie Karlsruhe
ZKM | Center for Art and Media Karlsruhe
June 2005

Infomail No 13

»40yearsvideoart.de« - Digital Heritage

Symposium

Date: July 1 and 2

Venue: K20 | Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, 
Grabbeplatz 5 Trinkaus-Auditorium
40213 Düsseldorf


The futility of electronic data carriers such as 
magnetic tape has been the topic of a few 
symposia over time. The ubiquitous nature of 
electronic images makes it more urgent than ever 
to explore, discuss and analyse ways of 
preserving and restoring electronic images. The 
standards of restoration have been developed over 
many centuries but never been applied 
systematically to electronic images. What happens 
to artworks, to memory devices in general, if 
they become digital? Can we envision lasting 
storage devices within the digital realm? The 
rapid change of technological platforms certainly 
contributes to uncertainties and an unwillingness 
to tackle all these issues.
That is why, «40yearsvideoart.de - Digital 
Heritage» wants to further our understanding of 
these ongoing processes, to promote the open 
discussion of strategies as well as their impact 
on our notion of memory and the construction of 
history. To this end, we will gather 
international experts in Düsseldorf for a two-day 
symposium dedicated to the theoretical, 
historical, practical and artistic implications 
of the continuous migration of our electronic 
information.
Speakers include Katharina Ammann (University of 
Bern), Anita Beckers (Galerie Beckers, 
Frankfurt/Main), Christoph Blase (ZKM Karlsruhe), 
Hans D. Christ (Württembergischer Kunstverein, 
Stuttgart), Dieter Daniels (HGB Leipzig), Barbara 
Engelbach (Museum Ludwig, Cologne), Rudolf 
Frieling (ZKM Karlsruhe), Johannes Gfeller (HKB 
Bern), Boris Groys (HfG Karlsruhe), Hans Dieter 
Huber (Akademie der bildenden Künste Stuttgart), 
Dieter Kiessling (artist, Düsseldorf), Caitlin 
Jones (Guggenheim Museum, New York), Ulrich Lang 
(Museum Moderne Kunst, Frankfurt/Main), Stephen 
Partridge/Jackie Hatfield (Duncan of Jordanstone 
College of Art, Dundee), Walter Plaschzug 
(HS-Art, Graz), Bart Rutten (Montevideo, 
Amsterdam), Sandra Thomas/Alexandra Wessels (235 
Media, Köln), Stephan Urbaschek (Goetz-Sammlung, 
München), Heather Weaver (Bay Area Video 
Coalition, San Francisco), Tina Weidner/Yvonne 
Mohr (Tate Modern, London, ZKM Karlsruhe).
(subject to change)

Check for abstracts and programme: www.40jahrevideokunst.de
Simultaneous German - English translation will be 
available. Participation in the symposium is free 
of charge but we welcome online registration.

This initiative project is financed by the 
Kulturstiftung des Bundes (Federal Cultural 
Foundation) and organized by Center for Art and 
Media Karlsruhe (head of project) and the 
Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen (K21), 
Dusseldorf (official project carrier) in 
cooperation with the partners Kunsthalle Bremen, 
Lenbachhaus Munich, and Museum of Fine Arts, 
Leipzig. Additional funding for the symposium was 
provided by the British Council.

For further information see the project Web site or contact:

ZKM Center for Art and Media
Rudolf Frieling - Head of Project
Lorenzstr. 19
D- 76135 Karlsruhe
Tel. +49 (0)721 8100 1703
frieling at zkm.de,

ZKM Center for Art and Media
Heike Helfert - Project Coordinator
Lorenzstr. 19
D- 76135 Karlsruhe
Tel. +49 (0)721 8100 1721
helfert at zkm.de