Where art and science come together

Connection to science and the public

Today, the Collection of Prints and Drawings has over 160,000 works of art on paper. In addition to the old masters, there are also works by artists from Pablo Picasso to Andy Warhol as well as contemporary artists. "Our collection continues to be an important source of inspiration for teaching and research," says Linda Sch?dler. New works, exhibitions or events are sometimes created in collaboration with research groups. "Such collaborations are very important to us. Both sides benefit from the different ways of thinking of the other. This helps us to perceive our own discipline differently and to question certain methodologies," says Linda Sch?dler, describing the relevance of the Collection of Prints and Drawings for science.

At the same time, however, the collection is also an important link between the university and the public: "Many people interested in art visit our exhibitions and are surprised that ETH Zurich, as a technical university, has such art treasures. In this way, we offer a different approach to ETH, which in the best case can also open new doors."

From the idea to the exhibition

To ensure that this bridge between the university and the public can continue to be built in the future, three curators are responsible for the exhibition program. Ideas for future exhibitions are collected on an ongoing basis - the program has already been defined until 2026. It often takes around two years from the initial brainstorming to the final exhibition.

Each year, the Collection of Prints and Drawings puts on three exhibitions, each lasting three months. A longer exhibition period would be detrimental to the works of art. This is because prints - like drawings and photographs - are extremely sensitive to light and cannot be presented permanently.

What does the future hold?

The Collection of Prints and Drawings is still growing today - partly through donations and partly through acquisitions. "We mainly acquire contemporary art in order to keep our finger on the pulse of the times," explains Linda Sch?dler. "We are interested in the future of art on paper. How is drawing done today? What new elements and techniques are being added?" Digitization also plays an important role here. For the past four years, the holdings of the Collection of Prints and Drawings have been digitized in a concentrated project and made accessible online. This is an important addition to make the works even more widely available - but not a substitute for the physical collection and direct engagement with the original works. "Physical access to the works is still our future," Linda Sch?dler is certain. "Especially in today's digital world, where a lot is communicated via screens, people appreciate a direct encounter with art on paper."

The team at the Collection of Prints and Drawings is also actively monitoring the topic of artificial intelligence (AI). "There are many exciting questions in connection with AI, such as the authenticity and authorship of art. However, I think that people still have a need to see something that has been created by a human being," says Linda Sch?dler. "AI will not replace artists. However, it will be interesting to see how artists themselves use AI."