Tool_Lab

Exhibition space of the ZKM | Museum Communication

The convergence of science in the arts has already sparked new insights and significant progress in preceding Renaissances. The Arab Renaissance (9th – 12th Century) produced remarkable (musical) apparatuses, and in the Italian Renaissance (15th – 17th Century), artists engaged in building complex machines.

Today, artists use scientific instruments, theories, and methods. In the exhibition we refer to these as tools. Microscopes, X-ray images, EEG measurements or robots are used to develop artworks.

So, are we facing a »Renaissance 3.0«? The innovations of the 21st century propel the connection between art and science: Artificial Intelligence (AI), Augmented Reality (AR), and 3D printing are not only an integral part of today’s art practices, but are also indispensable in scientific disciplines such as physics, medicine, and biology. All of these tools help making ideas visible, stimulate discussion, and actively shape the future.

Let’s explore together how today’s tools influence the new »Renaissance 3.0«. There’s room for your ideas and visions in the Tool_Lab!