1. MASI Lugano
Marta Margnetti “and suddenly shaken by a force” Manor Award Ticino 2020, 28.11.2020–14.02.2021
THAT’S THE ONLY WAY I CAN COME by nora turato, 05.12.2020–24.01.2021
Beni Bischof, Intensity Intensifies, 05.12.2020–24.01.2021
Why?
The 2015 founded art museum currently hosts shows involving a number of promising contemporary artists. Marta Margnetti’s exhibition provides an immersive experience, amongst others by her installation “La testa fuori il corpo dentro, 2020“. Further significant are several of her sculptures presented in the Palazzo Reali venue. Beni Bischof’s smart yet witty images, inspired by the banality of day-to-day life, provide a take on current sociopolitical issues. This humorous yet critical aspect of his work is something urgently needed, especially now during the current Corona crisis. These exhibitions were chosen because they made me experience new perspectives of sculpture in contemporary art, but also new forms of text-based art and images.
2. Tinguely Museum
Katja Aufleger. GONE, 02.12 – 14.03.2021
Why?
Aufleger’s first solo exhibition in Switzerland shows fragile installations made by transparent materials such as glass, plastic and coloured liquids, amongst others. With the use of materials such as glass combined with sound and movement in her film art installations, the artist criticises power systems. This exhibition was chosen because of its way in providing me with an insight into an artist working with fragile materials such as glass and ways of combining these mediums to form ambivalent forms of art.
3. Migros Museum für Gegenwartskunst
Potential Worlds 2: Eco-Fictions, 24.10.2020-21.02.2021, Group show with: Korakrit Arunanondchai, Anca Benera & Arnold Estefán, Dora Budor, Burton Nitta (Michael Burton & Michiko Nitta), Cao Fei, Julian Charrière, Carl Cheng, Jimmie Durham, Peter Fend, Tue Greenfort, Joana Hadjithomas & Khalil Joreige, Helen Mayer and Newton Harrison, Louis Henderson, Mary Maggic, Mileece*, MOON Kyungwon & JEON Joonho, Adrián Villar Rojas, Pinar Yoldas, Bo Zheng
In collaboration with YARAT Contemporary Art Space, Baku
Why?
The group show Potential Worlds 2: Eco-Fictions inquires into the potential worlds that might emerge from the remains of humans such as waste, ecological disasters, pollution, wars & technology. This exhibition was chosen because it showed me a different perspective on art: art as a scientific, technological and social test. The show provides a critical look on the impact humans have on earth, while it also presents possible surprising future scenarios and life forms. Finally, works involving plants such as Marry Magic’s work “Plants of the Future” definitely caught my attention, given that I have a keen interest in plants.
4. Musée cantonal des Beaux-Arts – Lausanne
Kiki Smith. Hearing You with My Eyes, 9.10.2020 - 10.1.2021
Why?
Curated by Laurence Schmidlin, curator of contemporary art, the exhibition includes over 100 works the american artist made over the past forty years. This exhibition was chosen because of my personal interest in finding out more about Kiki Smith’s artistic practice. Her 2018 “Procession” exhibition at Haus der Kunst left an impact on me, and it is interesting to examine how it compares to the current show at Musée cantonal des Beaux-Arts – Lausanne.
5. Bündner Kunstmuseum Chur
Roman Signer. Skizzen 1970-2020 04.10.2020-17.01.2021
Why?
Signer, who started his artistic practice around 1970, has often developed his ideas firstly as sketches on notepapers or envelopes. Many of whom were “transformed” from paper into sculptures and installations several years later. This exhibition was chosen because I can particularly relate to the sketches, as a sketcher myself. Furthermore, the exhibition provides an insight into how an artist works and the whole process: how an idea is born, “saved” on paper and put into reality.
6. Galerie Bromer’ s new gallery space at Rämistrasse 3
The gallery which was founded in 2011 in Roggwil (canton of Bern), recently expanded to a second location in Zurich.
Why?
The new Rämistrasse gallery space with its three floors, open and airy spaces is the ideal location to feature works of artists of classical modernism such as Cuno Amiet, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Giovanni Giacometti and Ferdinand Hodler. Formerly occupying the premises of the heritage company Bächtold Sport in the historical Denzlerhäuser, the building was built in 1910 by the Art Nouveau architects Bischoff and Weideli. This exhibition/ location was chosen because it provided me with new insights into art history and the secondary art market. Another highlight of our short visit was the exhibition Rudolf Urech-Seon – A Foreign Visitor. The strong colour compositions, dynamic form constructions and mystified nature of Urech-Seon’s works are unique.
7. Hauser & Wirth Publishers Headquarters, Rämistrasse 5
Hauser & Wirth Publishers’ newly opened headquarters at Rämistrasse 5 in Zurich features a publisher’s bookshop. The backlist comprises monographs, artists’ books, and exhibition catalogs.
Why?
Apart from a beautifully renovated space (formerly the historic Oprecht & Helbling bookstore), the bookshop offers a number of unique gift ideas for Christmas and New Year. The place was chosen, because it provided a different experience to visiting an “ordinary ” bookshop or museum shop. Highlights include blankets by artists such as Max Bill, Philip Guston or Eva Hesse, scarves, tea towels and art crockery. The collection and books are presented in very smart, “less is more” ways similar to an art gallery, placing the visitors attention to few but good pieces.
Let me know if you visit any of these shows. I am very interested in your feedback.
Thanks for reading!
Andy meets Warhol | Art Blog from Zurich 