The »Anthology of Art« began as a work in progress in September 2001. Jochen Gerz invited six artists and six theorists to contribute a work or a text and to answer the question: “Relating to your image of art, what could be an unknown art today?”

In addition to the individual answers, which were posted on the Internet for two weeks, the participants suggested their own successors, whose contributions would replace theirs. In this way, all participants also became curators in the artistic process. In the course of fourteen months, 26 generations of a total of 312 works, with 156 images and 156 texts were collected: the »Anthology of Art«.

The contributions were collected in an archive, which was not accessible until the end of the collection process: »www.anthology-of-art.net«. The question of art in the future, after the »death of the avant-garde« proved to be surprising and extremely time-related. The events of 11 September 2001, which changed the world, confronted thought just as unexpectedly as the towers of the World Trade Center.

The question of art as a sign of a yet unknown world has been asked by artists, theorists, and institutions since before modernism. The exhibition, »Anthology of Art« continues this tradition. It shows art and art discourse in a self-curated, pluralistic work process.

The artists and theorists come from 37 countries and six continents. Their contributions to Anthology of Art also challenge one to rethink aesthetic practice and theory in a global society.

»Anthology of Art« was shown previously at the Akademie der Künste in Berlin [18 November 2004 - 9 January 2005] with great success. After the exhibition at the ZKM it will be shown in 2006 at the Bundeskunsthalle in Bonn.

With »Anthology of Art«, ZKM sees a possibility, even before the realization of the »Platz der Grundrechte« [Human rights square] in Karlsruhe, to present a further important work by the artist in the entire »Hallenbau« building [Hochschule für Gestaltung [State Academy of Design], Städtische Galerie [Municipal Gallery], ZKM_Medienmuseum [Media museum], ZKM_Museum für Neue Kunst [Museum for Contemporary Art]]. The project catalogue, has been published by DuMont and is available at the ZKM Shop for 48 euro.

Organization / Institution

ZKM | Zentrum für Kunst und Medientechnologie