The Cloud and the Clouds: Cat. Musem fr Gegenwartskunst Siegen [Paperback]

Clouds—without us being aware of it—have an elementary significance for us. We inscribe our wishes, hopes, and fears into their fleeting, indeterminate diversity. The artistic “discovery” of the cloud began in the Middle Ages and intensified in the 19th century, parallel to its growing importance in the natural sciences and humanities. In the context of globalisation, virtualisation, and 20th century theory, the cloud is now developing into a model for describing the complexity of contemporary conditions. It is becoming a symbol of networked information architecture, geopolitical relations, and new concepts of space. The book deals with the phenomenon of the cloud from a contemporary perspective; it goes much further than the customary cloud images. Using a variety of media, the contributions range from artistic translations of the natural motif to the technical infrastructure of the clouds and their affects. The works presented combine ecological, socio-political, economic, and technological aspects. The focus is on exploring the various perceptions, materialities, and functions of the cloud(s) today.Thomas Thiel, born in Nuremberg in 1977, is a writer, curator, and, since 2019, director of the Museum für Gegenwartskunst in Siegen. Previously, he directed the Bielefelder Kunstverein since 2008. After studying cultural studies and aesthetic practice in Hildesheim, Thiel worked as a curator at the ZKM Center for Art and Media in Karlsruhe.James Bridle, born 1980, is an artist, writer, and publisher based in London. He was writing forWIRED, Icon, Domus, Cabinet Magazine, The Atlantic, and has a regular column forThe Guardianon publishing and technology. Bridle coined the New Aesthetic; their work "deals with the ways in which the digital, networked world reaches into the physical, offline one." Bridle studied computer science and cognitive science at University College London.Joseph Imorde, bornl3P