Photobastei Zurich dedicates two exhibitions to Techno
Published: Wednesday, Jan 10th 2024, 07:20
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The Photobastei in Zurich is showing two exhibitions about techno culture. The exhibitions "The Pulse Of Techno" and "Techno Worlds" run from January 12 to March 31. According to the organizers, this is the first time that the subculture has found its way into a Swiss museum.
"Techno emerged in the 1980s and has become the longest-lived global youth movement - so it was high time to follow these traces," said Romano Zerbini, Director of the Photobastei, in an interview with the Keystone-SDA news agency. Zerbini is also the curator of the exhibition "The Pulse of Techno".
The exhibition focuses on Zurich, its techno culture and the newly created spaces associated with it. The exhibition looks back at the beginnings of the Zurich scene in the 1990s, but also at important steps in the emergence of the local subculture, such as the first Street Parade in 1992.
"There would be no techno without technological development," said Zerbini. As synthesizers became cheaper, for example, more people were suddenly able to produce techno. Several important stages of this development are illustrated in the exhibition and the legendary Roland TR-808 drum machine can be tried out.
Confessions from the beginnings
According to the curator, another installation is reminiscent of a kind of bleaching chair, where activists talk about the early Zurich techno era. "Many places from back then have disappeared," said Zerbini. Like many subcultures, techno also needs free spaces. But these are becoming increasingly difficult to find. "Of course, it's also a bit about drawing attention to the situation," said the curator. The exhibition also features photographs, flyers and videos.
At the same time, the German Goethe Institute's traveling exhibition "Techno Worlds" will be on display at the Photobastei. The exhibition, which is being shown in Switzerland for the first time, focuses on the global level of the phenomenon. There is a video installation dedicated to the techno pioneers of "Underground Resistance" from Detroit, which sheds light on the social and political dimensions of music and subculture.
Both exhibitions will be accompanied by various events. Underground Resistance will be coming to Zurich, and Zurich rave-punkers Saalschutz, who disbanded in 2017, will be giving a concert.
©Keystone/SDA
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