KARLSRUHE.- The ZKM | Center for Art and Media Karlsruhe opened a new exhibition seven prototypes at the convergence of art and science yesterday, which were created between 2020 and 2022 as research results of the international project »Driving the Human – Seven prototypes for eco-social renewal«. The project was initiated by the Forecast mentoring platform in Berlin with the Karlsruhe University of Arts and Design (HfG), the ZKM | Karlsruhe and the National Academy of Science and Engineering (acatech) as partners. Through an open call, scientists and artists from all over the world were invited to address the question of how all life in the world can be preserved and rethought ecologically and socially. The seven prototypes will be on view in three parts to November 26th, 2023 at the ZKM | Karlsruhe.

The ZKM | Karlsruhe shows the seven prototypes of the international scientific-artistic collaboration project »Driving the Human« in correspondence to the exhibition »Renaissance 3.0«, which proposes a base camp for the cooperation of art and science in the 21st century. From June to November, prototypes from »Driving the Human« will be presented in three parts: »Non-Human Perspectives: Sharing, Shaping, Sensing Habitats« (June 17 to July 30, 2023), »Sharing Knowledge on Common Ground« (August 12 to September 24, 2023), and »Speculative Ecosystems and Interspecies Collaborations« (October 7 to November 26, 2023).

Sarah Donderer, curator of the project at ZKM explains: »We are excited to show the seven prototypes, that have been developed over the past two years by artists, creatives and scientists, in three thematic groups at ZKM. The projects provide access to non-human perspectives and insights into symbiotic relationships, offering breeding grounds and platforms for shared knowledge exchange beyond the Eurocentric gaze. They open up possible future socioecological systems in which the interdependencies of human, non-human, and technological life are revealed through collaborations.«

The prototypes exhibited in each of the parts show viable future-proof in the world. They suggest new ways we can interact with each other and what surrounds us, exploring, for example, how AI might mitigate rather than accelerate climate change.

Each of the three parts will open with its own activation day, where visitors can experience the prototypes and their ideas in greater depth via guided tours, lectures and workshops.

Participating artists and scientists:

Anne-Sofie Belling, Bea Delgado Corrales, Romy Kaiser & Paula Nerlich / alternaa (Andra Pop-Jurj / Lena Geerts Danau) / Vincent Rumahloine & Mang Dian / Akwasi Bediako Afrane / Eliana Otta / Xiaoyu Iris Qu (曲晓宇) / Hyeseon Jeong & Seongmin Yuk

»Driving the Human« is supported by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection.

June 17, 2023 – November 26, 2023