Backstage Engelberg

BACKSTAGE ENGELBERG

An old Swiss monastery village becomes a hotspot for contemporary art curated by Dorothea Strauss

A former shoemaker’s cottage, an unused bowling alley, or the attic of a hotel—the exhibition Backstage Engelberg will take place from June 23 to August 18, 2024, in unusual locations in the Alpine community of Engelberg.

Zurich gallery owner Peter Kilchmann initiated the realization of an exhibition in Engelberg. Therefore he invited the independent curator Dorothea Strauss, and together, they founded the non-profit association Backstage Engelberg.

Engelberg in central Switzerland is best known as an Eldorado for adventurers and outdoor enthusiasts. But this summer, the 900-year-old monastery village is revealing new facets by opening its doors to an international exhibition of contemporary art: Backstage Engelberg.

Paintings, photographs, objects, sculptures, drawings, installations, sound pieces, and videos—53 artists from 17 countries show their work at 21 locations in Engelberg. Their artworks powerfully reflect on our world today. They address highly topical issues such as climate change, sustainability, and explosive socio-political developments, sparking conversations and connections to our shared reality. Many of these thought-provoking pieces were conceived especially for the exhibition.

“Especially in times of uncertainty and turbulence in society, it is important to create space for curiosity, a spirit of discovery, a sense of community, and a desire for change,” says curator Dorothea Strauss. “The exhibition aims to show how artists respond to the reality of our time. The unique power of art is that it awakens people to relevant issues and brings them into dialogue with each another.”

All of these works teach us to remain curious and open to the unexpected. The exhibition’s title, Backstage Engelberg, is a positive allusion: an invitation to look beyond the surface and engage with one’s community and environment, whether in Engelberg or elsewhere.

Backstage Engelberg is a testament to the strong community spirit in Engelberg. The exhibition is supported by the Commune, Engelberg-Titlis Tourismus AG, the Canton of Obwalden, numerous foundations, local companies, and Engelberg personalities, all united in their commitment to promoting cultural exchange.

OPENING
on June 22, 2024, 1 pm to 6 pm / 

4 pm Concert by Franziska Aigner aka Frankie, Kurpark Engelberg / 

5.30 pm Ceremony & Opening Party, Hotel Bellevue-Terminus

THE ARTISTS:  Heinz Aeschlimann (*1947, Switzerland) / Judith Albert (*1969, Switzerland) / Can Altay (*1975, Turkey) / Francis Alÿs (*1959, Belgium) / Cristian Andersen (*1974, Switzerland) / Nina Meret Ates (Switzerland) / Mirko Baselgia (*1982, Switzerland) / Marc Bauer (*1975, Switzerland) / Anselm Baumann (*1958, Germany) / April Bey (*1987, Bahamas) / Armin Boehm (*1972, Germany) / Daniele Buetti (*1955, Switzerland) / Los Carpinteros (founded 1992, Cuba) / Maria Ceppi (*1963, Switzerland) / Danielle Creme (Israel/Switzerland) / Katalin Deér (*1965, USA/Switzerland/Germany) / Andriu Deplazes (*1993, Switzerland/France) / Johanna Dobrusskin (*1996, Switzerland) / Valérie Favre (*1959, Switzerland) / Clare Goodwin (*1973, England/Switzerland) / Séverin Guelpa (*1974, Switzerland) / Jürg Halter (*1980, Switzerland) / Christoph Hänsli (*1963, Switzerland) / Jochem Hendricks (*1959, Germany) / Leiko Ikemura (*1951, Japan) / İdil İlkin (Turkey) / Melli Ink (* 1972, Austria/Switzerland) / Monica Ursina Jaeger (*1974, Switzerland) / Bruno Jakob (*1954, Switzerland/USA) / Christian Jankowski (*1968, Germany) / Sven-Åke Johansson (*1943, Sweden/Germany) / Renata Kaminska (*1974, Poland/Germany) / Sabine Kuehnle (*1968, Germany) / Sonia Leimer (*1977, Italy/Austria) / Zilla Leutenegger (*1968, Switzerland) / Peter Loewy (*1951, Israel/Germany) / Ingeborg Lüscher (*1936, Germany/Switzerland) / Angela Lyn (*1955, England/Switzerland) / Fabian Marti (*1979, Switzerland/France) / Jos Näpflin (*1950, Switzerland) / Olaf Nicolai (*1962, Germany) / Eva Nielsen (*1982, France) / Adrian Paci (*1969, Albania/Italy) / Yehudit Sasportas (*1969, Israel) / Grace Schwindt (*1979, Germany/England) / Shirana Shahbazi (*1974, Iran/Switzerland) / Annelies Štrba (*1947, Switzerland) / Una Szeemann (*1975, Switzerland) / Ebru Uygun (*1974, Turkey) / Ester Vonplon (*1980, Switzerland) / Nives Widauer (*1965, Switzerland/Austria) / Uwe Wittwer (*1954, Switzerland) / Ekrem Yalçındağ (*1964, Turkey/Germany)