KARLSRUHE.- Modern media technologies have changed the world. The ZKM has followed these changes more closely than any other art institution worldwide. Since its founding, ZKM has provided decisive impulses in the artistic exploration of new technologies. In this way, one of the most important art collections in the world has been built up over the past 30 years. With the exhibition ‘The Story That Never Ends. The ZKM Collection’, ZKM is now presenting numerous highlights of this unique collection of media arts in a new exhibition. On display are works from the 1950s to the present, including video, light and sound works, kinetic objects, and computer-based interactive installations.


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The selection of works is strongly influenced by the perspective of the conservators at ZKM. They have deliberately selected works that have not been exhibited for many years due to the complex restoration processes required. The exhibition tells the interwoven stories of art and technology. At the same time, it highlights the challenges associated with the rapid innovation cycles and the fast obsolescence of hardware and software – both in terms of preserving media art and with regard to the future of our digital culture.

Since the beginning of the 20th century, artists have been using the latest technologies of their time, thus continuously expanding the possibilities of artistic expression: the spectrum ranges from video, light and sound art to motor-driven kinetic objects, computer-based interactive installations and works created with the help of artificial intelligence.

With around 100 works, ‘The Story That Never Ends’ traces these lines of development in media art and its opening up to the categories of space, time and movement, as well as interaction and participation – from the 1950s to the present day. A selection of key works representing important moments and milestones in media art show the diversity and influence of these technological developments. These include Marie-Jo Lafontaine's monumental video sculpture ‘Les larmes d'acier’ (1987), in which she ironically deconstructs the complex constellations of the concepts man, machine, power and sexuality; Bill Viola's video installation ‘Stations’ (1994), in which he addresses the fundamental issues of human existence by exploring the question of becoming and decaying, or Jeffrey Shaw's ‘Virtual Sculpture’ (1981), which represents the early experiments in augmented reality.

‘The Story That Never Ends’ alludes not only to artistic development, but also to the challenges faced by museums that collect the art of our times: technical devices are not made to last forever, data carriers disintegrate, software standards are quickly outdated, and media formats can no longer be read after a few years. This means that works must be continuously monitored and technically updated. What impact does this have on art and our cultural memory? What skills do we need to develop to have not only a future but also a past?

Alistair Hudson, scientific and artistic director of ZKM | Karlsruhe, on the exhibition:
"As technologies advance with increasing speed, ‘The Story That Never Ends’ is a timely celebration of the role that artists play in developing, and challenging, the technologies that form our way of life. The ZKM is the most respected media arts institution in the world, particularly because of its unique combination of collections, archives, and production facilities, all lovingly cared for by the specialist technical and scientific expertise of the whole team. This exhibition brings all the complex work behind the scenes of the ZKM to the center stage."



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