The Story That Never Ends: The ZKM Collection

Art is a story that will never end. Yet, much like technology, we do not know what form it will take in the future. Throughout history, artists have been using the latest technologies of their time, continuously expanding the boundaries of art. In the 20th and 21st centuries, electrification and digitization have, above all, not only reshaped daily life but also profoundly transformed artistic creation. In the exhibition The Story That Never Ends. The ZKM Collection, the ZKM | Karlsruhe traces the evolution of media art from the 1950s to the present. Offering a comprehensive insight into ZKM’s collection—one of the largest and most significant media art collections in the world—it explores the interwoven stories of art and technology.

The Story That Never Ends presents a selection of more than 100 works covering a wide spectrum of “apparatus-based” arts. The presentation features photography, video art, light and sound installations, motor-driven kinetic objects, computer-based interactive installations, and works created with the help of artificial intelligence. A selection of key works highlights pivotal moments and milestones in media art, illustrating the diversity and influence of these technological developments. At the same time, the exhibition contextualizes the artworks within their broader social and socio-political context drawing connections to pressing contemporary issues: Feminist works by early media art pioneers—such as pezoldo (Friederike Pezold), Lynn Hershman Leeson, Kirsten Geisler or Rebecca Horn—stand alongside pieces that examine the effects of mass media such as television (Nam June Paik, Aldo Tambellini, Wolf Vostell). Other works explore the intersection between technology and the military, borders and surveillance, violence in digital spaces (Paul Garrin, Hanna Haaslahti, David Rokeby) or natural ecosystems (Justine Emard, Claudia González Godoy). Time and again, artists challenge the possibilities and consequences of new media, reimagine and reshape them, and thus construct new social and cultural narratives that enrich the discourse on our relationship to technology.

The title of the exhibition—The Story That Never Ends—alludes not only to the future of art, but also to the challenges faced by museums that collect media art: Technical devices are not built to last forever, data carriers deteriorate, software standards quickly become obsolete, and media formats become unreadable within just a few years. As a result, conservators must continuously monitor and update these works to ensure their preservation.

The ZKM is internationally recognized for its expertise in the conservation and restoration of media art. However, since much of this work takes place behind the scenes, The Story That Never Ends takes a radical step: the selection of key works for display was entrusted to the ZKM’s conservation and technical teams.

This approach brings hidden treasures to light—some of which have remained unseen by the public for decades due to the extensive conservation efforts required for their presentation. Since the technological complexity of these works and the challenges of their preservation are not always immediately apparent, the exhibition also provides an introduction to the history of technology and conservation strategies for media art.

The Story That Never Ends draws on the ZKM’s unique collection to narrate the fascinating history of media art. At the same time, it raises awareness for the fragility of our electrified and digitalized civilization. What impact does this technological reality have on art and our cultural memory? What skills must we develop to ensure that we have not only a future, but also a past?

Please find further information here.

Press contact: Lilli Roser, lilli.roser@zkm.de / T +49 (0) 721-8100-1364