Category: Exhibitions

The exhibition "To Zurich: Barraca Cultural", which we are pleased to present with Gustavo Hansson in the Helmhaus, took place from 06.12.19 - 26.1.20.

"The transformation of an artist's entire oeuvre into his house"

Together with the artist Gustavo Hansson we built the "Barraca Cultural" in the Helmhaus. The idea behind the "Barraca" is that it unites the entire work of an artist under one roof and thus consists of nothing more than that, the construction fades into the background. The art becomes a new home, a "shelter", a protection. The artist's work deals with themes that are also of constant concern to us: Migration, activism, integration, inclusion. As a walk-in art object, the "Barraca" itself becomes a place to deal with these themes; it becomes a community space where people sing, perform, dance, eat and talk to each other.

This project also continues an interest of ours to build as many different things as possible with the same material. Six months earlier, all the wood had been used as a "transfer ferry" on Lake Zurich during the Theater Spektakel. And since we took special care not to cut anything up, it could be back again next summer.

Link to Nach Zürich

Architecture activism at the Games.Fights.Encounters exhibition in March 2020 at the Oncurating Project Space in Zurich

During the exhibition and mediation project "Games.Fights.Encounters" we used four instruments to take action: Our first tool was the wall of "architectural activism", inviting visitors to reflect and, if possible, share their thoughts about the refugee accommodations in Zurich and the rest of Switzerland with the audience. The wall should enable everyone to think and speak out more about the current political situation in Switzerland and its impact on society. In addition, the "activism folder" and the brochures allowed everyone to delve into the subject matter.

On this wall the current topic of the "Federal Asylum Centers" was taken up: Where and how are the accommodations located? What does the environment look like in which these people will live? What rights does a person with asylum status have in Switzerland? How does our society deal with this topic, how important is it to us? What happens behind the walls and fences? And what do these people think about our society?

Our second instrument was a walk, during which we visited a former and current refugee shelter in Zurich. After the walk, we had a discussion with the visitors and our invited guests about the situation they saw. We used the discussion as a third instrument, even though we believed that we had to do more than just talk.

The second event should have been a simple but very useful action- our fourth instrument: We wanted to build a table prototype with the participants, which can later be used for amazing inclusive programs at the GZ Wipkingen at the BAZ location. Unfortunately, this event could not take place because of Corona.

Link from Games.Fights.Encounters

After we finished our first exhibition, we got the opportunity to exhibit them in other places. Amongst others at the Academy of Architecture in Mendrisio. Starting in March 2020, together with our team and students on site, the existing exhibition was assembled and expanded to include other topics. For example, a situation of the dormitories, which we reconstructed. 

Just like the original, we want to show the life of the new arrivals with this exhibition and point out the difficulties they have in their new "home country". Raising the awareness of students and visitors is crucial to change the lives of the refugees. The complexity of the issue prevents many people from becoming active and steering the integration process of refugees in a positive direction. With the exhibited materials and the program series we try to bring about this change. As we often say "Many small ones make big ones": This exhibition would bring the topic of refugees closer to people on a local and global level. This change of perspective is more than necessary in our societies.

In the space ”insights” we focus on eight people who escaped to Switzerland. They provide an insight into their housing and living environment, on the one hand with a retrospect of their living conditions back in their homeland, on the other hand in their recent situation. A ”reflection” is induced by the second space: We ask questions about living environment, homeland and living together. Eventually it is about ”outlooks” in the third space: What could a positive spatial living together look like between natives and refugees? Get inspired by successful projects and bring your own input, either directly here at the exhibition or by participating in the accompanying series of programs which enable an exchange between experts, refugees, and exhibition visitors.

The exhibition "Shelter is not enough" was our first in Switzerland and took place from 12 April to 1 October 2017 at the Heimatschutzzentrum in the Villa Patumbah in Zurich. Together with the team of the Heimatschutzzentrum we organized the exhibition. The idea is that this exhibition can be brought to other places and presented as a travelling exhibition. At the moment we are looking for a place for it.

Altogether we got three rooms in the Villa Patumbah, which we played in different ways. In the first room we showed the current situation of refugees in Switzerland. We visited a total of eight people at home and took a look at their current home. They are presented in the first room on the basis of texts and pictures. We used this room to draw attention to the current situation.

In the second room, visitors were asked various questions about home, refugees, private life, etc. The aim was that each individual should think about these topics in order to better understand the problems and the current situation of the refugees. His answers could be stuck directly below the questions.

We saw the third room as a room of communication. Not only were our workshops held here, which were also part of the exhibition concept, but you could also record your own ideas, suggestions and experiences, paint them on or discuss them directly with others.