Contemporary Testimonies

The impact of technology on artistic expression and creativity is a testament to the ever-changing nature of art. As technology evolves, so will the possibilities for creating and experiencing art. While technology brings challenges and raises philosophical questions about the nature of art and creativity, it also offers unprecedented opportunities for innovation and expression. In the digital age, the merging of technology and art is not only inevitable, but also a driving force for the evolution of creative expression.

The constantly evolving technical possibilities lead to permanent change in art. They offer art ever new possibilities for expression. Historically, art has evolved in particular with the advent of new technologies. When art and technology meet, two very different worlds come together. One stimulates creative ideas and can leave many things open. The other brings defined specifications to the point. Over the centuries, artistic methods and styles have changed significantly with every technological advance. Time and again, artists have appropriated these tools of the time to keep pace with the changing times.

The nameless master builders of the Gothic cathedrals, including Michelangelo, knew no separation of science and art. Walter Gropius ushered in a new phase at the Bauhaus in 1923 with the slogan ‘Art and technology - a new unity’. Even today, more than ever, we are forced to follow the rapid rhythm of technology. Art and technology, these two disciplines form a unity of creation. In the modern era, the digital revolution has had a similar, if not more profound, impact on art. Today, artists are questioning the modern world with digital tools, artificial intelligence and virtual realities. It's exciting to see what man and machine can create together.

With the presentation of the two artists Bruno Vallazza and Christian Kaufmann, the exhibition “Contemporary Testimonies” aims to demonstrate their suitability for current technical media. Just as Vallazza forged iron in his day, Kaufmann creates his art with the technologies offered by the digital world.

Post-war sculpture is characterised by a variation of styles and constant experimentation with new materials. Four-fifths of the sculptural work of the post-war period consists of some kind of metal. Steel, bronze, iron and aluminium are the characteristic materials of this era and have decisive advantages for sculpture. As a child of this period, Bruno Vallazza also made use of these materials. Forme e simboli astratti caratterizzano il suo lavoro di forgiatura artistica. L'astrazione, in tutte le sue varianti, conferisce alle sue sculture struttura e movimento. I simboli geometrici sono le caratteristiche riconoscibili di Vallazza. L'artista dà loro un significato accostandoli, intrecciandoli e sovrapponendoli, creando ritmo e movimento. I contrasti emergono dai segni, che egli assegna a varie forme di integrazione. Vallazza ha modellato il rapporto tra opera e spazio con grande libertà, rompendo le convenzioni e introducendo nuove pratiche. Il suo obiettivo era che le sculture si muovessero nell'ambiente circostante.

The ever-evolving technological landscape has had a profound and multifaceted impact on artistic expression and creativity. The integration of digital tools and technological advances has not only created new media for artists, but has also changed the way art is created, distributed and perceived. Christian Kaufmann also deals with the various dimensions of these new media. His artistic work shows how technology can expand the boundaries of artistic expression and change the creative process. Digital tools give the artist unprecedented control over his work, enabling complex manipulation and endless experimentation without the limitations of physical media.

If art has always sought and found its task in the depiction of life and its manifestations, it is no coincidence but a natural consequence that today, as in the past, it does not ignore the motifs that the development of science has offered and continues to offer.