Die Wolken und die Wolke /
The Clouds and the Cloud

Clouds have – without our being aware of it – an elemental significance for us. Into their transience and indeterminate multiplicity we inscribe our wishes, hopes and fears. The artistic „discovery“ of the cloud has proceeded since the Middle Ages, and with increasing intensity in the nineteenth century, in parallel with its growing importance in the natural sciences and the humanities. In the context of theoretical endeavours in the twentieth century, the cloud develops into a model for grasping the complexity of present-day conditions. It becomes the emblem of a networked information architecture, of geopolitical relations and of new conceptions of space. Clouds, as we know, do not respect borders. The exhibition and book „Die Wolken und die Wolke“ address the phenomenon of the cloud from a perspective that allows us to look beyond the familiar images of clouds. Drawing on the most diverse media, the contributions range from the artistic translation of the natural motif through to the technical infrastructure of the clouds and their affects. The works presented combine ecological, socio-political, economic and technological aspects. At the centre stands the contemporary engagement with different conceptions, materialities and functions of the cloud(s).

Artists:
James Bridle, Nina Canell, Latifa Echakhch, Lara Favaretto, Hans-Peter Feldmann, Shilpa Gupta, Flaka Haliti, David Horvitz, Almut Linde, Benoît Maire, Metahaven, Marie-Luce Nadal, Ho Tzu Nyen, Trevor Paglen, Michael Sailstorfer, Christopher Kulendran Thomas

Exhibition:
Museum für Gegenwartskunst Siegen, 4/9/2020 – 10/1/2021