On September 29 and 30, 2025, the international conference “Performing Transformation – Shifting Landscapes in Art, Science, and Technology” will take place at TU Dresden. Together with scientists and artists, the transformation of knowledge at the intersections of art, science, and technology will be explored through lectures, panels, and workshops.

As part of the conference, the Dresden-based artist Detlef Schweiger invites you to a practice-oriented workshop. Schweiger has been working with used CDs as an artistic medium for many years, placing them at the center as a symbol of technological change: In the 1980s, they were a milestone in data storage; today, they are largely obsolete—yet they remain as physical testimonies of a past technology. The reflective surface of these “silver discs” breaks light into iridescent colors, transforming the space into a shimmering play of light.

For the workshop, after an introductionary talk a light installation made of CDs will be created together with the participants—and for that, we need your support:
Do you have unused CDs, CDRs or DVDs?
Please drop them off by September 15, 2025, at one of the following locations:

• Foyer Andreas-Pfitzmann-Bau
• Alte Mensa
• Görges-Bau, Café
• Wiener Str. 48
• BZW

The data carriers will not be used or read for their content. Please ensure that you do not hand over any data carriers containing sensitive data.

All interested parties are warmly invited to view the resulting artwork afterward and to engage in conversation with the artist. The further program of the conference offers opportunities to continue reflecting on the performativity of knowledge in science and art.
 

Thank you for your support—every single CD helps make the artwork shine!