Interzone
On February 12, 2008, the About Change, Collection hosted Interzone No. 1, a chaired debate between Tobias Rehberger, artist and teacher at Frankfurt’s Städelschule, and Professor Ernst-Ludwig Winnacker, genetic scientist and Secretary General of the European Research Council, Brussels.
Through its presentations and events, About
Change, Collection Stiftung seeks to initiate interdisciplinary encounters
between artists represented in the collection and representatives of
fields such as science, philosophy, sociology, the media, and business
and industry, thus reaching out to audiences beyond the world of art.
The first phase of the About Change, Collection Stiftung project is therefore designed as a catalyst for a series of related events which, taking individual works of art or artists as a starting point, will address the relationship between the arts and other fields of human activity. The aim here is not to set up systematic overviews or historical canons, or to convey a false sense of completeness. Rather, we are concerned with accruing as many insights and prognoses as possible about the conditions that trigger change.
Collage and assemblage are important aspects of the About Change, Collection Stiftung—both the principle of combining diverse materials, contexts, and contents, and the general history of this technique. Collage, in this sense, refers to more than just a fine arts technique; Max Ernst described it as the coincidental or artificially provoked concurrence of two or more essentially dissimilar realities. This kind of concurrence can also occur in literature, film, and theater.
Collage and assemblage are important aspects of the About Change, Collection Stiftung—both the principle of combining diverse materials, contexts, and contents, and the general history of this technique. Collage, in this sense, refers to more than just a fine arts technique; Max Ernst described it as the coincidental or artificially provoked concurrence of two or more essentially dissimilar realities. This kind of concurrence can also occur in literature, film, and theater.
The venue at Kupfergraben 10 will not only present new and varying aspects of the About Change, Collection Stiftung, but also hosts the Interzone series of talks. The title is a reference to William S. Burroughs, who coined the expression to denote a cut-up wonderland transcending all bounds of convention, ideas, perceptions, and habits. Within the context of the About Change, Collection Stiftung project, Interzone refers to a format in which artists represented in the show choose someone from outside the cultural domain to meet and talk in a chaired debate. These talks are another form of collage in which dissimilar realities meet. The hope, the chance, and the risk is whether "the poetic spark which leaps across when these realities approach one another" (Max Ernst) will indeed fly.
The first phase of the About Change, Collection Stiftung project is therefore designed as a catalyst for a series of related events which, taking individual works of art or artists as a starting point, will address the relationship between the arts and other fields of human activity. The aim here is not to set up systematic overviews or historical canons, or to convey a false sense of completeness. Rather, we are concerned with accruing as many insights and prognoses as possible about the conditions that trigger change.
Collage and assemblage are important aspects of the About Change, Collection Stiftung—both the principle of combining diverse materials, contexts, and contents, and the general history of this technique. Collage, in this sense, refers to more than just a fine arts technique; Max Ernst described it as the coincidental or artificially provoked concurrence of two or more essentially dissimilar realities. This kind of concurrence can also occur in literature, film, and theater.
Collage and assemblage are important aspects of the About Change, Collection Stiftung—both the principle of combining diverse materials, contexts, and contents, and the general history of this technique. Collage, in this sense, refers to more than just a fine arts technique; Max Ernst described it as the coincidental or artificially provoked concurrence of two or more essentially dissimilar realities. This kind of concurrence can also occur in literature, film, and theater.
The venue at Kupfergraben 10 will not only present new and varying aspects of the About Change, Collection Stiftung, but also hosts the Interzone series of talks. The title is a reference to William S. Burroughs, who coined the expression to denote a cut-up wonderland transcending all bounds of convention, ideas, perceptions, and habits. Within the context of the About Change, Collection Stiftung project, Interzone refers to a format in which artists represented in the show choose someone from outside the cultural domain to meet and talk in a chaired debate. These talks are another form of collage in which dissimilar realities meet. The hope, the chance, and the risk is whether "the poetic spark which leaps across when these realities approach one another" (Max Ernst) will indeed fly.
We were very pleased that Tobias Rehberger and Professor Ernst-Ludwig
Winnacker accepted our invitation to strike a few sparks. Tobias Rehberger
teaches at the renowned Städelschule art academy in Frankfurt.
One of the most important international artists of his generation, he
has since the early 1990s repeatedly addressed the shifting boundaries
between contemporary fine arts and other cultural practices.
His international breakthrough came with works such as his installation Günter’s (wiederbeleuchtet), presented at sculpture projects muenster in 1997, which systematically explores the possibilities of art, architecture, and services in a specific location, or the 2007 project On Otto, in which Rehberger was aided by international corporations and Hollywood stars (including Kim Basinger) in creating a movie in reverse—i.e. starting with the advertising poster and going backwards up to the script.
One of the internationally most renowned geneticists, Professor Ernst-Ludwig Winnacker was formerly President of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (German Research Foundation, DFG) and a member of Germany’s National Ethics Board. His achievements include consistent and successful efforts in translating science and its concerns to society at large. Since 2007 he has continued this work as first Secretary General of the newly-established European Research Council in Brussels. He is familiar to many as the author of highly readable books on the possibilities and limits of genetic science.
An intriguing aspect of the Interzone adventure is that nothing is at stake: the participants do not have a mission to fulfill. Both Rehberger and Winnacker, however, proved curious about and interested in their interlocutor and his work. In their talk they addressed the ways their work is organized as well as authorship, the height of ivory towers, the disciplines coming into contact through their talk, and the relationship to the public that these disciplines have. Insalata caprese and its role in bringing together advanced science and high culture were also discussed.
All talks, which are held with a small audience, are recorded on video and made available as downloads on the About Change, Collection Stiftung website (www.aboutchangecollection.com). We are pleased to have the Berlin daily Tagesspiegel as our media partner.
"Innovation and change arise at the intersections of different worlds. That is what fascinates me about art: the extent to which it can trigger change and open up new realms of perception. Collage is a fertile point of intersection, and one that I have been exploring for years, in works ranging from Kurt Schwitters to Ceal Floyer. Be it art and collage, MTV and VJing, About Change and new-media startups—what fascinates me is the change of perspective and the chance to make new connections," Christiane zu Salm said at the first Interzone debate, which took place in Berlin in February.
His international breakthrough came with works such as his installation Günter’s (wiederbeleuchtet), presented at sculpture projects muenster in 1997, which systematically explores the possibilities of art, architecture, and services in a specific location, or the 2007 project On Otto, in which Rehberger was aided by international corporations and Hollywood stars (including Kim Basinger) in creating a movie in reverse—i.e. starting with the advertising poster and going backwards up to the script.
One of the internationally most renowned geneticists, Professor Ernst-Ludwig Winnacker was formerly President of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (German Research Foundation, DFG) and a member of Germany’s National Ethics Board. His achievements include consistent and successful efforts in translating science and its concerns to society at large. Since 2007 he has continued this work as first Secretary General of the newly-established European Research Council in Brussels. He is familiar to many as the author of highly readable books on the possibilities and limits of genetic science.
An intriguing aspect of the Interzone adventure is that nothing is at stake: the participants do not have a mission to fulfill. Both Rehberger and Winnacker, however, proved curious about and interested in their interlocutor and his work. In their talk they addressed the ways their work is organized as well as authorship, the height of ivory towers, the disciplines coming into contact through their talk, and the relationship to the public that these disciplines have. Insalata caprese and its role in bringing together advanced science and high culture were also discussed.
All talks, which are held with a small audience, are recorded on video and made available as downloads on the About Change, Collection Stiftung website (www.aboutchangecollection.com). We are pleased to have the Berlin daily Tagesspiegel as our media partner.
"Innovation and change arise at the intersections of different worlds. That is what fascinates me about art: the extent to which it can trigger change and open up new realms of perception. Collage is a fertile point of intersection, and one that I have been exploring for years, in works ranging from Kurt Schwitters to Ceal Floyer. Be it art and collage, MTV and VJing, About Change and new-media startups—what fascinates me is the change of perspective and the chance to make new connections," Christiane zu Salm said at the first Interzone debate, which took place in Berlin in February.
