The works of Jochen Gerz have always had a particular, deliberate relation to time, either in the thematization of perception and description as a continuous process, which can only be undertaken in time (as in the four books of “ Zeit der Beschreibung” (The time of description), created between 1973 and 1984) or in the rhythmization of action and experience, as was repeatedly evident in his performances, or in the creation of uncertainties which constantly created new confusion for the situation of the protagonist in his experiments with memory work. ...As it becomes evident, timelessness is created in Gerz’ s works in various ways, but always from the relation to time. Dialectically related with this is the recognition in his work that contrary to the timelessness of the here and now the consciousness of the link of the artistic work with time is created from the perception that timelessness has no duration.

Ulrich Krempel 1988

The concept for the space derives from a Hindu temple or a place of meditation. The contemplative atmosphere contrasts strongly with material from a recent and still controversial past, which at the same time is reflected in much of the invisible archive collections of the Art Academy ...For him the archive is an expression of Vanitas, a "house of assertions", a labyrinth where an opaque void prevails. ... Jochen Gerz succeeds in dispersing the seemingly impenetrable wall of paper by oralisations of the archive. ... Chronologically sorted texts from all sections of the Archive are returned to life by being read out loud in what is a kin to a litany without beginning or end... Readers cannot intervene in the choice of documents or sequence of texts. Their contribution consists in reading as a service to lost time.

Helen Adkins 2005