exhibition
The smem contributes to the exhibition « The Pulse of Techno » by Photobastei, Zürich with it’s dedicated space and a selection of events. A selection of historical instruments from the smem’s collection, all essential pieces of the techno music history are displayed throughout the exhibition.
In the 90s, techno really took off in the city of Zurich. The city became a European hotspot for electronic music!
Initially, this had to do with the same factors that helped techno break through all over the world: more affordable synthesisers and other electronic devices, a passionate, curious youth, new drugs and the fascinating, booming bass from Detroit. In Zurich, the provocative Street Parade, which was held for the first time in 1992, the liberalisation of the Hospitality Industry Act in 1996 and the abolition of the ban on dancing on public holidays four years later were additional boosters.
This gave rise to a broad and high-quality community. Clubs sprang up, festivals sprang up. Techno became ubiquitous. International brands such as Club Zukunft and Lethargyy in the city of Zurich are just two of many examples that document this development.
Since the fall of the Berlin Wall, when techno also absorbed the spirit of the times and found expression in a never-ending ecstatic celebration, techno has been associated with new beginnings and the promise of a better world. In its global dimension, the political in techno is not expressed in song lyrics or slogans, but in the spaces and experiences created.
These spaces and experiences, this global techno culture and its specific form in Zurich can be experienced in two exhibitions and a comprehensive accompanying programme at the Photobastei.