X-cene. An Oral History Project

Seminar Special Questions in History of Art and Architecture
Organizer: Chair of Prof. Ursprung, Chair of Prof. Ursprung
Lecturers: Dr. Dora Imhof, Helene Romakin, Berit Seidel

In the seminar we will explore different forms of interviews. The interviews will take place in the context and on topics of the "X - cene Matinee" in the wind tunnel of the ZHdK. This series of events will deal with the current discourse on the Anthropocene, Pyrocene, Capitalocene, Plantationocene and Chthulucene. We will interview the invited artists of the series, but also security, facility management, students, visitors, etc. In this way, the wind tunnel will be recorded as a living laboratory, production and meeting place.

Students will deal with central current discussions on the Anthropocene and get to know forms of artistic engagement with it. They will also learn about the methods and techniques of interviewing and about oral history as an instrument of research.

In recent years, the interview has become omnipresent in architectural discourse, but also in art. The seminar examines and reflects the manifold forms and uses of the interview, both in the media and in scientific research, especially oral history. Besides classical forms of interview recording we will experiment with other techniques such as I-phone, livestream cameras.

The resulting interviews will become part of the Oral History Archive of Contemporary Art and Architecture.

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Conducted Interviews:
With Rebecka Domig, Project Magager, Kunsthalle Zurich by Fiona Wiesner: link to full interview

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With Isabel Lewis by Ella Esslinger and Eva Ruof: link to full interview

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For syllabus check here.