HOWTO—An exhibition on production processes in instructive videos
How is a window profile produced from a block of aluminum? Why are paving stones always similar but never exactly the same? How is a flanging device used? How is a disco ball made? Anyone who has occupied themselves with the making of things eventually arrives at a situation where good advice is expensive. Traditionally, experience helps, and perhaps the memory of training or an illustration in a handbook. But ever more often, a possible answer to nearly every question, to almost every “How does that work?” can be found in a video on the internet.
With the exhibition Howto, we have dedicated ourselves to the phenomenon of videos that attempt to explain extremely complex industrial processes or handwork tricks. In ten videos put together by guests, ten different processes are each illustrated and interpreted in their own way. The contributions show the entire spectrum of historical, contemporary, professional, and amateur film material, and pursue free associations as well as a fascination with industry and technology.
At the same time, we have also dedicated ourselves to this topic quite pragmatically and, in the long term, would like to be able to illustrate individual processes precisely with videos or animations and thus enrich the collections in the Sitterwerk with the element of moving pictures. The exhibition thus also contains a workstation with which an initial collection of videos and sequences of pictures have been laid out as a field of experimentation. It should ultimately serve as a basis for further developing the documentation of processes that will supplement the holdings of books and materials in the near future.
With contributions by
Michael Bodenmann
Eva Brugger
Digital workshop of the Kunstgiesserei St. Gallen
Eisenbibliothek
Roman Gysin
Michael Marriott
Ralph Michel
Emanuel Signer and Seraina Winzeler
Susanne Triller
Christa Wyss
With works by
Raphael Hefti
Camille Henrot
Elizabeth Price
Opening
Saturday, August 22, starting at 6 p.m.
Welcome at 6:30 p.m.
Films by Raphael Hefti, Camille Henrot, and Elizabeth Price at 7:30 p.m.
Further events
Thursday, October 22, 6:30 p.m.
HOWTO—An evening with brief presentations on the genre of functional films
Change of program:
The film contribution ‘Dann wollen wir der Musik mal Dampf machen. Zur Mechanisierung des Orchesters` by Fred van der Kooij, filmmaker, Zurich, will not take place as a lecture as announced, but will be made available online.
In order to be able to comply with the protective measures in connection with Covid-19, we ask you to register for the Opening and individual events: post@sitterwerk.ch
With the friendly support of: the Arnold Billwiller Stiftung, the Federal Office of Culture, the Dr. Georg and Josi Guggenheim Foundation, the Cultural Department of the Canton of St. Gallen / Swisslos, the Metrohm Foundation, the Dr. Fred Styger Foundation
Graphic Design: Data-Orbit, St.Gallen
Scenography: Johannes Stieger, Lukas Brusch
Video Editing: Jiri Makovec