Archiving the Universe

Stefan Klein’s art project “Archiving the Universe” takes an artistic look at the element of dust in all its multifaceted dimensions. The series of works consists, on the one hand, of photograms depicting dust at various moments and, on the other, of the sound installation Recordings on Dust by Ben Glas and Stefan Klein. The project offers an in-depth exploration of human existence, with all its ambivalence, from philosophical and theological perspectives and, quite concretely, through lived experience. Dust is everywhere and, within the microcosm, reflects the complexity of the macrocosm.

This opens up a spiritual horizon, particularly with regard to the question of remembrance. The timing of the exhibition, situated between the Catholic feast days of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day and the Protestant ‘Sunday of the Dead and Eternity’, picks up on this connection.

In keeping with the omnipresence of dust as a material, the exhibition takes various forms across several locations: as a banner in the chancel, floating as sound within the church, as a note in the Bible, or on a van travelling through Europe bearing a large photogram.

A series of publications featuring texts by Fatin Abbas, Dusty Blur, Patricia Hempel and Ngwatilo Mawiyoo is also on display at the Musée Visionnaire.

The project was realised in collaboration with WÄCKER & GRAUPNER, St Paul’s – the Art Ministry of the Archdiocese of Munich and Freising – and the Predigerkirche.