Geschichte wiederholt sich nicht, aber sie reimt sich

More about the book

Matera, once labeled a "national disgrace," has gained renewed attention as the European Capital of Culture 2019. In 2016, a group of artists and educators from the Art University of Linz established a temporary experimental lab in the city, focusing on the concept of the "simultaneity of the non-simultaneous." This exploration examines how past narratives are reinterpreted through contemporary perspectives. The resulting publication is a hybrid of book, exhibition, catalog, magazine, and object, capturing the essence of the in-situ lab. The design incorporates the gestures of searching, unfolding, and turning, reflecting the physical exploration of the location. Each folder presents artistic works and discussions centered on specific themes, including the origins and evolution of this unique human habitat, infrastructures, continuity and change, architecture, and cultural expressions. Large photographic posters on the inner pages, combined with site-specific video and audio works, create a micro-format exhibition. Contributions come from artists such as Martin Bilinovac, Jacqueline Böhm, and others, alongside conversations with figures like Martin Bilinovac, Giulia Cifarelli, and Helmut Lethen, enriching the discourse surrounding Matera's cultural landscape.