CRITICAL ZONES
OBSERVATORIES FOR EARTHLY POLITICS

9 MAY – 11 OCTOBER 2020
 
ZKM | CENTER FOR ART AND MEDIA KARLSRUHE | KARLSRUHE, GERMANY
 
 

In the scientific literature, "Critical Zones" describe the fragile and thin layers on which life can thrive on Earth. More recently, the term has also shed light on the numerous controversies that have triggered new political attitudes.

As a research and exhibition project, "CRITICAL ZONES" explores the urgency of bringing together skills, knowledge, disciplines and cultures to create a cartography of the multitude of Earths. During five months, the exhibition simulates on a small scale a model of a new spatiality for our planet and the diverse relations between life forms. It creates a landscape making the public aware of the characteristics of the so-called "New Climatic Regime", a term coined by the French philosopher Bruno Latour to describe the global situation affecting all living entities and the related political, cultural, ethical and epistemological issues.

As an observatory of "Critical Zones", the exhibition aims to steer a debate towards new Earthly Politics.