What remains? On the Comings and Goings of Media Art and Video

Media art and video art have the reputation of being fleeting genres. With video art, around 1970, media art began as the latest development in art production. Enthusiastically disclosed were possibilities hitherto considered unthinkable. Works emerged that both fascinated and confused beholders and users. The protagonists of media art participated in highly respected exhibitions and festivals throughout the world. Those who were involved had the feeling already back then of being present at an important occasion in art history. But then something strange happened: the technical carrier media changed so rapidly through industrial innovation, that the artworks could no longer be played or seen. The works, which were often viewable only temporarily, are gradually disappearing. Yet today, around forty years later, when seemingly everyone can produce their own art per video cell phone and computer, on the part of museums, interest is growing in these early original works. ZKM examines the challenge of preserving media in the project “40jahrevideokunst.de,” which is supported by the German Federal Cultural Foundation.
 

Program

2–2.45 p.m.
“The early years—the golden calf of media art”
Jeffrey Shaw 1991–2003 founding director of the ZKM | Institute for Visual Media

2.45–3.15 p.m.
"On collecting early media art—a review"
Hans Peter Schwarz 1992–2000 director of the ZKM | Media Museum

3.30–4 p.m.
"RECORD > AGAIN! The new staging of early video art"
Christoph Blase Director of the ZKM | Laboratory for Antique Video Systems

4–5 p.m.
Podium discussion "How topical is early video art?"
Participants:
Sylvia Martin Deputy director of the Kunstmuseum Krefeld
Ulrike Rosenbach Media artist and video pioneer
Margriet Schavemaker Director of art collections at the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam
Ursula WeversVideo artist and producer of “videogalerie schum” from 1968–1972

Host: Christoph Blase