Just in Time

Electronic artworks created since the 1960s have reached a technically critical age. This affects video art as well as computer-based works. Video tapes are decaying, and since the manufacture of cathode ray monitors ceased worldwide about 10 years ago, video art installations will no longer be displayable in about 20 years. Spare parts are no longer available, and time for transferring expertise is diminishing. Since computer-based works have hardly been acquired for collections in the past decades, artists often lacked the resources for preservation, and institutions had little knowledge of how to handle hardware and software, much of the digital creation since the 1980s is in danger of disappearing altogether. Finally, public and private collections still hardly dare to acquire recent works of digital art due to a lack of expertise and resources. This has long-term consequences for the cultural self-image of a society informed by digital media.

The challenges of digital culture outlined here have been met for several years by a number of specialized conservators and researchers who are continuously developing new tools and methods. The conference invites you to gain insight into the current state of practice, the latest research projects, and the institutional framework for the restoration of electronic works. Based on a diagnosis of the status quo, we want to raise a number of questions for discussion: Where is there an urgent need for action with regard to research? Where do we stand with regard to the training of conservators? What change of perspective is necessary in the institutions and what long-term strategies in cultural policy are needed to preserve electronic and digital artworks for future generations?

The event is aimed at conservators, colleagues from public and private collections, computer scientists, electrical engineers, artists, students and an interested public.

Speakers

• Elisa Carl & Jee-Hae Kim [Hamburger Bahnhof]
• Christian Draheim, Florian Draheim & Jochen Saueracker [Colorvac / ZKM | Karlsruhe]
• Tom Ensom & Jack McConchie [Tate, London]
• Patricia Falcao [Tate, London]
• Martina Haidvogl [Bern University of Applied Sciences / Bern University of the Arts]
• Inge Hinterwaldner [Institute for the History of Art and Architecture, KIT]
• Alex Michaan [Atelier Sonar / Université de Saint-Etienne]
• Dorcas Müller [ZKM | Karlsruhe]
• Arnaud Obermann [Staatsgalerie Stuttgart]
• Joanna Phillips & Lan Linh Merli-Nguyen Hoai [Restaurierungszentrum Düsseldorf]
• Morgane Stricot, Matthieu Vlaminck [ZKM | Karlsruhe]
• Nadja Wallaszkovits [KNMDI, ABK Stuttgart]
• Andreas Weisser [Preservation as a Service / Doerner Institut]

Program

For Friday, October 7th, at 7 pm, we recommend the event »A conversation beyond matter: Carolyn Kirschner« at ZKM | Kubus. The British artist and scientist will present her project »Iconoclash: Slow Squeeze« created during the Beyond Matter Residency Program.