EXHIBITION

Everything. Always. Open.

Opening: September 2, 7 p.m.; Exhibition until September 7, 2025 University of Arts Linz, Hauptplatz & Post City

University of Arts Linz @ Ars Electronica Festival 2025

In view of the climate crisis, wars and the ever-increasing power of tech giants, this year's Ars Electronica Festival raises the big question "PANIC - yes/no". As a possible answer to this, the campus exhibition at the University of Arts Linz is dedicated to the agenda "Everything. Always. Open.".

The University of Arts Linz is once again presenting a curatorial intervention on Linz's main square for the Ars Electronica Festival - in addition to the exhibitions, the Sound Campus and the discursive and performative presentations. Sensor-controlled sliding glass doors, which receive little or no attention in shopping malls, hospitals or other public buildings, are given full attention on Linz's main square. The University Campus for the Ars Electronica Festival responds to this year's theme of PANIC -yes/no with automated opening and exhibits the space between the doors. From the entrance, to the transition, to the exit. Our relationship to the world is called into question by a constant, automated absurdity that never tires. Glass doors that begin to speak to the audience in Linz through unexpected noises and sounds when opened by sensors.

Nine international universities will also be presenting their highlights in the western bridgehead building of the University of Arts Linz, and the Sofia Academy of Art will be a guest in the splace as a special featured partner university. In the inner courtyard of the eastern bridgehead building, the Soundcampus opens on 2 September, with concerts, performances and DJing on the program from Tuesday to Thursday evening.

"Everything. Always. Open" as hope, promise, uncertainty or threat? Could it be that we accept moments of openness less and less? Why and what are we afraid of? What lies behind, between or next to the doors and what promises are associated with doors that open independently? The sound and noise installation on Linz's main square deals with the subject of openness. We don't want to impart any insight or knowledge, but rather invite people to think for themselves in order to initiate conversations between thinkers. We want to create a space in public space that is opened up and will be opened up again and again.

The theme was inspired by Beyoncé, Kim Beck and Osman Khan, Einstürzende Neubauten and Hannah Arendt. Read more here.

Technologies are doors. Doors are passages. Passages are spaces in between. A collage of hope, promise, uncertainty and threat. But the Campus is more than a collage. It is home to all the works and young artists who exhibit, perform or engage in discourse in the main square buildings of the University of Arts Linz and on the Post City campus. "Everything. Always. Open."