Writing the History of the Future

In an extraordinary compilation, the ZKM presents the main works from its globally unique media art collection.

In the twentieth century technical media radically transformed the image. Beginning with the scandalous medium of photography, in which images seemingly generated themselves, media »transformed the entire nature of art« (Walter Benjamin). Photography, film, phonography, radio, television, video, computers, and the Internet have redefined the relationship between artist, work, and viewer as well as our notion of the creative act. The exhibition Writing the History of the Future exemplifies the transformation of art due to the changing technologies of production, reception, and distribution. It also shows how artists anticipate media and social practices that will only become self-evident for society in general years later. As the title of the exhibition says, they write the history of the future.

Video Documentary:
ZKM | Videostudio

Camera: Xenia Leidig, Christina Zartmann
Editing: Xenia Leidig, Christina Zartmann