Latest Events in Zurich(August Updated)

A tranquil space, soft light, and subtle alterations to the familiar: the Kunstmuseum Zurich will host Switzerland's first comprehensive museum exhibition of Wilhelm Hammershøi's work. His paintings emphasize perception, atmosphere, and the delicate tension between space and objects.Empty rooms, closed doors, figures with their backs to the viewer: Hammershøi's paintings eschew narrative. There is no action, but rather a sense of focused concentration. The space is both familiar and strange, light gently sweeping across the walls, objects presenting a serene presence.His work is characterized by the most subtle gradations of soft color. The almost imperceptible variations within recurring themes sharpen the viewer's perception, making perception itself the subject of the work.Through interaction with the international art movements of his time, Hammershøi developed a unique visual language. His similarities to James McNeill Whistler are evident in his minimalist approach and focus on formal elements. At the same time, his work exhibits a surprising modernity, comparable to artists such as Giorgio Morandi. His focus on music further expands the dimensions of his art: instruments such as the cello or piano appear in his paintings, creating a tense stillness—like the moment before the first note. In addition to his signature interior paintings, this exhibition also features his portraits, cityscapes, and landscapes, placing his work within a broader art historical context.

As part of the “ReCollect!” series, Wolfgang Leib's work encounters masterpieces from the Kunsthaus Zurich's collection. Since the late 1970s, Leib has been dedicated to developing a minimalist, serene yet highly impactful art style, using materials such as pollen, wax, milk, rice, and stone in his creations. Leib's work engages in a cross-historical dialogue with approximately 30 pieces from the Kunsthaus Zurich's collection—works spanning art history from the Middle Ages to the 20th century. The exhibition features works by Fra Angelico (circular), Matteo di Giovanni, Philippe de Champagne, Claude Monet, Ferdinand Hodler, Alberto Giacometti, Constantin Brancusi, Giorgio de Chirico, Wassily Kandinsky, Verena Lovensberg, Peter Mondrian, Barnett Newman, Mark Rothko, Robert Ryman, Sophie Tauber-Arp, and Lee Ufan, among others. Approximately 50 representative works by Leib vividly showcase his visual language: large pollen sculptures, pebbles (oval stone carvings), milkstones, pyramidal towers, walk-in wax rooms, rice houses, lacquer staircases, and other sculptures, paintings, and photographs. In addition, we will exhibit representative works of Asian art, particularly from India—including the important Jain marble sculpture, Jain Risaba, on special loan from the Rietberg Museum. The exhibition is held on the ground floor of the Mueller Building, an area that will be regularly used in the future to foster dialogue between the museum's collection and contemporary art. Leib, both an artist and curator, co-curated this exhibition with senior curator Philippe Bitner. Their long-standing collaboration dates back to a major retrospective exhibition held by the Beyeler Foundation in 2005. This new encounter between Leib's works and masterpieces from seven centuries ago not only allows visitors to gain a deeper understanding of Leib's sculptural techniques and material usage, but also opens up a refreshing perspective for re-examining the classic works in the museum's collection. Thus, a multi-dimensional space is constructed, where silence, time, and the presence of art intertwine and resonate.

War, past and present, has been an integral and vital part of Swiss history. This exhibition brings together multiple perspectives to showcase how war has influenced Switzerland's political structure, economic interests, and social order from the late Middle Ages to the present.From the myths that built identity around the Battle of Mülten, to internal conflicts such as the Peasants' War of 1653 and the Sondnes War of 1847, and even the potential threat posed by World War II: war in all its forms has shaped Switzerland's self-perception. Whether wars occurred within or outside modern Switzerland, they gave rise to new power relations and social contradictions—for example, the accumulation of capital through the arms and mercenary trade, the exacerbation of class conflict, and the transformation of gender roles.

Information Source: Robin Snowdon | eventbrite