News
The Collegium at Zurich Art Weekend Double Exhibition Opening
- Details
-
Opening hours during Zurich Art Weekend:
June 13: 10:00–21:00
June 14 & 15: 10:00–18:00Vernissage: June 13, 18:00–21:00
Guided tours:
June 14, 14:00–15:00
June 15, 11:00–12:00
From June 13 to 15, the Collegium Helveticum will take part in the Zurich Art Weekend for the second time. This year, the Collegium’s contribution will include the opening of two exhibitions on Friday evening, June 13: Colors of (Colonial) Chemistry by Denise Bertschi and Under Construction, curated by Reto Geiser. Walking through the exhibitions, visitors will have the rare opportunity to also explore the solar observation tower and parts of the historic Semper Observatory.
Colors of (Colonial) Chemistry is a site-specific video and textile installation by scholar and artist Denise Bertschi that takes place in the Collegium’s exhibition spaces in the cellar of the main building (Gallery) and in the courtyard (Laboratory). Drawing on her latest research, Bertschi examines the entangled histories of dye chemistry and photographic chemistry, placing them in the context of ETH Zurich’s institutional past. The exhibition reflects on the connections between chemical substances, scientific knowledge, industrial production, and colonial dynamics during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Through a careful arrangement of visual, architectural, and material elements, Bertschi presents a layered narrative about science and its global reach.
Over the weekend, Denise Bertschi will lead two tours (June 14 & June 15) offering a deeper insight into her research and artistic practice, extending beyond the exhibition spaces to include selected locations in the surrounding ETH buildings.
Meanwhile, in the the ETH’s former solar observation tower, Under Construction offers a different perspective on material transformation. Curated by Reto Geiser, the exhibition focuses on construction sites as transitional and often overlooked spaces in the life of the built environment, featuring work by the photographers Tibor Bielicky, Stefano Graziani, Marianne Mueller, and David K. Ross. Their images document building sites not merely as functional zones but as indicators of cultural, geographic, and economic conditions.
Discover more
