«40yearsvideoart.de»
Digital Heritage: Symposium on Video Art in Germany from 1963 to the Present
July 1–2, 2005 Symposium
Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen Düsseldorf
Venue: K20 | Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen
Grabbeplatz 5 Trinkaus-Auditorium
40213 Düsseldorf
programme
abstracts
symposium
Magnetic tapes are subject to a constant process of deterioration. This realization
is not new. Yet for some time now an international discussion has been taking
place regarding the fact that ubiquitous and fleeting electronic images are as much
a part of our cultural heritage as painting or sculpture – with the reservation that in
the meantime, a large part of this heritage is in acute danger. Since the triumph of
video art in international exhibition circles, in particular museums and collections
with a fundamental interest in the preservation of their works have been confronted
with this dilemma and are thinking about their long-neglected electronic stores.
However, insufficient attention has been given to the issues of how in future imminent
losses can be averted and restorative measures can be taken.
The signs of digitalization have meanwhile extended out into all areas of society.
The social acceptance of the new digital carriers and media requires that questions
be exemplarily and systematically asked regarding the processes of digitalization
currently taking place. What is the historical, practical, but also the theoretical significance
of the transformation from analog to digital information for work on a digital
heritage? And how can we maintain awareness of the access to this heritage
in the areas of research and teaching? What repercussions do these issues have
for artists, galleries and sales?
Several aspects of the current situation are the complexity of the technical configurations
of recording and playback media, the lack of an academic examination of
evaluation standards, and inadequate awareness of the precarious state of technological
images. The interfacing of the various competencies of archives, academics,
museums, artists and industry is necessary in order to promote the development
and communication of methods and practical models not only for the preservation,
but also for the restoration of videotapes, since up to now, in the area of
electronic media no standards have been developed to evaluate either electronicimage
hardware or software from a restorative point of view.
As a first milestone of the project “40yearsvideoart.de,“ this public symposium will
present exemplary research, initiatives and projects, and analyze and put forward
for discussion their significance for the construction of history and aesthetic perception
as well as for museal and artistic practice. The results will in turn be included
in the reappraisal of forty years of video art in Germany, which in a further
step will be presented in various contexts in exhibitions at the Kunsthalle Bremen,
the K21 Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, the Lenbachhaus Munich, the
Museum der Bildenden Künste Leipzig and the ZKM Center for Art and Media
Karlsruhe. In addition to the project, a DVD study edition will make the materials
lastingly available for research and teaching.
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