New Switzerland

Cult American artist, Renée Green, gets major retrospective in Lausanne

2009-09-25T14:19:00.009+02:00

Renée Green, This Was Now Then, 1994 - beautiful drapery designed by Green to include startling images relating to slavery.© Courtesy the artist & Free Agent MediaA milestone exhibition that includes works produced over 20 years by Renée Green, the most cerebral yet engaging of contemporary American artists occupies the entire Fine arts museum in Lausanne. Making use of multiple media, including

ART BASEL IN SEARCH OF NEW IDENTITY

2009-06-20T09:16:00.016+02:00

Lee Sang-Hyun, Diplomatic Trade Delegation of Joseon, 2008, Sun Contemporary SeoulArt Basel 40 reports its highest attendance figures ever and unexpectedly good sales. Less spectacular than former editions, the art fair caters again to the connoisseur, rather than the impulsive cell-totting speculator of recent years. But gone too is the cutting-edge excitement. The museum-like quality of many

French modern masters dazzle at Gianadda museum“From Courbet to Picasso”, a collection of masterpieces from the Pushkin Museum in Moscow, is on loan t

2009-06-19T23:34:00.001+02:00

“From Courbet to Picasso”, a collection of masterpieces from the Pushkin Museum in Moscow, is on loan to the Gianadda Foundation in Martigny over the summer months. Covering 60 years of intense artistic activity in Paris from 1858 onwards, the exhibition is an instant art history lesson with works from just about all the great painters of that time, including Degas, Toulouse-Lautrec, Matisse,

‘Vague, but exciting', three words that unleashed th web

2009-03-16T00:05:00.012+01:00

20 years ago, almost to the day, Timothy Berners-Lee wrote a memo that laid the premises of what was to become the web. ‘Vague, but exciting’ is how Mike Sendall, his boss at CERN, recognized the proposal. But today, Berners-Lee is more interested in the potential that the web has yet to unlock.Information Management Memo, 1998 © Cern’I wrote the information management proposal 20 years ago,

Discover the key to Fellini‘s dreams

2009-03-10T17:51:00.000+01:00

One of the 50 original drawings by Fellini in the show © Fondation Fellini pour le cinémaOn the theme “Fellini, Dreams of Venice and other Reveries” an exhibition in the lakeside town of Morges sets out to illustrate the origin of some of the most outlandish and unforgettable scenes in cinema. The Italian film maker of La Dolce Vita was not only a master story-teller, he was an amazing

Erotic Rodin opens in Martigny

2009-03-06T16:51:00.012+01:00

Le soleil couchant © Musée Rodin. Photo Jean de CalanThe title of an exhibition that starts on Friday at the Giannada Foundation in Martigny leaves no doubt about the works on display. The sculptures and drawings by the great French artist, Auguste Rodin, are primarily of women in erotic postures. But make no mistake, these are the works of an inspired genius, not of a voyeur.From the collections

Christo and Jeanne-Claude unveil project in Lausanne

2009-02-20T16:36:00.013+01:00

Over the River, Project for the Arkansas River, Collage 2007© Christo 2000, photo Wolfgang VolzThe Hermitage Foundation in Lausanne presents the latest project by legendary artists, Christo and Jeanne-Claude. Known for their spectacular environmental art, the husband-and-wife team reveals a current work-in-progress, the plan to cover a 64-kilometer stretch of America's Arkansas River with

An international conference on technology not just for geeks

2009-02-03T22:53:00.009+01:00

Lift Conference (Geneva, 25-27 February) is an opportunity to meet the people who are transforming technology. It was started by an expat in 2006 and is now attended by more than 700 people from around the world.Once a year, Geneva becomes the converging point for everyone who is anyone in the unstoppable world of technology. Laurent Haug who founded the Lift Conference three years ago at the age

Cully Jazz Festival strikes a blue note

2009-01-15T15:54:00.012+01:00

Heidi Happy - A Swiss artist who will blow your blues away The box office is now open for the Cully Jazz Festival and here are some hot tips to make your choice of concerts ahead of the crowds. Small in size, the festival is huge in inspiration. Over the years, the Cully Jazz Festival (March 27-April 4) has become the jazz connoisseur’s answer to the Montreux Festival, now considered to be

Turning NGO’s into brands in the Geneva area

2008-12-21T13:07:00.005+01:00

Edited version first pulished on Swisster on 13.12.08This is the original article.A small revolution is taking place in the Geneva area. International and non-governmental organizations are adopting brand and marketing strategies to advocate their values. What appeared to be a savvy trend before the present economic turmoil may now become a necessity.International organizations in the

DJ’s mix with classical violins to ignite the interest of the young

2008-12-21T13:02:00.003+01:00

Published on Swisster on 10.12.08A novel alliance between a hot dance club and a classical chamber orchestra is about to be launched in Lausanne. “Noces” takes place on Wednesday at the Métropole and the MAD. Over 30 year-olds, please abstain.Pronounce the words classical music and the I-Pod generation usually responds with a grunt or a smirk. Getting them to take an interest in what goes on in

Swiss artist, Sylvie Fleury, lights up Geneva's culture scene

2008-12-21T12:48:00.008+01:00

Published 29.11.08Breaking all records of attendance, a retrospective at the MAMCO in Geneva of a contemporary Swiss artist shows that Sylvie Fleury is more than just an art fashionista. She is a master in contemporary iconography.Hub caps and shopping bags are amongst Sylvie Fleury obsessions and they play a large part in her show at Geneva’s Modern and Contemporary Art Museum (Mamco). So do

A Green politician, GPS & art

2008-12-21T12:37:00.004+01:00

Published on 22.11.08Geneva’s Green magistrate, Patrice Mugny, talks to Swisster about mapping a different Geneva.When a magistrate speaks with pride about making culture more accessible, our thoughts immediately drift to the price of a ticket for an exhibition or a concert. But when Patrice Mugny mentions accessibility, he’s not just talking about money. Mugny is an elected member of the

Will Vaud be allowed to build a new cantonal fine arts museum?

2008-11-28T19:43:00.005+01:00

A plan to move the Musée des Beaux Arts in Lausanne from old premises in the city center to new ones by the lake is being contested by referendum and will be put to the vote on 30th November.It is the combat of David against Goliath. On the one side, a tiny committee successfully gathered more than the necessary signatures to counter a decision already voted and approved by the State Parliament.

BETTY BOOP MEETS JOHNNY DEPP - A REVIEW OF A SAIRE DANCE PRODUCTION

2008-11-09T20:49:00.017+01:00

Fast becoming a small Mecca for dance, the region between Geneva and Vevey is home to a growing number of stylish choreographers. Philippe Saire, whose latest production runs until November 23, is one of them. Photo Jean-Bernard SieberIf your last memory of contemporary dance is Merce Cunningham, whose dancers glide and swivel to the half-silent music of John Cage, it may be time for an up-date.

Mario Botta, world-famous architect, reflects on our future

2008-10-09T22:25:00.008+02:00

Botta, Berg Arosa, photo Urs HombergerMario Botta, the Swiss architect of international fame, made a stop this week in Lausanne to give a conference on “Architecture & Environment”. To a spellbound audience, he delivered a startling interpretation on how globalization is insulating architecture from its environment. With his own designs, qualified as both earthy and spiritual, Botta goes against

JEAN TSCHUMI (1904-1962), AN ARCHITECT WHO CONTINUES TO DEFY TIME

2008-09-21T16:31:00.023+02:00

Jean Tschumi, 1960 © Acm-EPFLJean Tschumi with his son, Bernard, 1946 © Bernard Tschumi ArchitectsTschumi, La Vaudoise, Lausanne, circa 1957 - © ACM-EPFLJEAN TSCHUMI (1904-1962), AN ARCHITECT WHO CONTINUES TO DEFY TIMEThe name Tschumi is no doubt familiar to those who work at the headquarters of Nestlé in Vevey, of Debiopharm in Lausanne, or at the World Health Organization in Geneva. The

Images '08 - Written 08.09.08

2008-09-21T16:03:00.005+02:00

© Reiner Riedler, Artificial Holidays, 2007© Julia Fullerton-Batten, Teenage Stories, 2005© Guillaume Reymond, Transformers, 26.08.08© Peter Garfield, Mobile Home 1994Images are to Vevey, what jazz is to Montreux and classical music is to Lucerne. Kicking off on 11 September, Images '08 will again celebrate Vevey’s pivotal role in photography and the visual arts. But when in Vevey, you won’t need

2008-08-28T22:11:00.002+02:00

ROCKING THE CULTURAL SCENE WITH NEW IDEASHe may look like the perfect son-in-law, but Fabien Ruf, the Head of the Cultural Services of Lausanne, is not afraid to rock the boat. In just over a year, he has challenged the grants allocation process, is fighting to gain acceptance of culture as an economic driver and is now on a campaign to culturally charm the two out of five foreigners who make up

Bex & Arts

2008-08-28T21:56:00.004+02:00

A SUMMER OUTDOOR SCULPTURE EXHIBITION AT THE FOOT OF THE ALPSEvery three years, a property that belonged to the daughter of a British Peer becomes the pastoral Alpine setting for an entertaining outdoor art exhibition. Bex & Arts, a triennial that takes place until 28 September, showcases sculpture in the stunning environment of an undulating park at the base of the Alps. Less than half an hour

FOR NOISE FESTIVAL IN PULLY OFFERS FRESH SENSATIONS

2008-08-01T15:51:00.012+02:00

TrickyMercury RevZoot Woman3 NIGHTS OF NEW NOISE AT A FESTIVAL IN PULLYJust as you were settling into the August lull, the For Noise Festival in Pully is taking off from 7 to 9 August. In a region of Switzerland where the density of summer cultural events is overwhelming, the youthful festival makes for a refreshing change, especially if you like making discoveries. Niched in the forest of a chic

VERBIER FESTIVAL LIVE ON THE WEB

2008-08-01T15:40:00.005+02:00