Faithful to its values and committed to social issues, mudac echoes a fundamental message and invites us to listen to the Earth with a first exhibition of works from its collection in its new building.
The climate and environmental crisis is certainly the most important issue facing humanity in the 21st century. The Earth is suffering and is trying to alert us by various means: climate disruption, rising water levels, declining biodiversity and the extinction of certain animal species. The ecological emergency has spread all over the globe, even to the world of design and applied arts. For several years now, mudac has been collecting works that aim to raise awareness of what the Earth is telling us.
Écouter la Terre plunges viewers into the mudac collection where the various disciplines that make up the collection – design, ceramics, glass art, graphic arts and contemporary jewellery – come together to reflect the challenges of climate change. The works attest to the commitment of designers and open up the scope of possibilities. They appeal to us to no longer consider nature solely through the prism of profitability, productivity or as a limitless resource for humans to use. They implore us to open our eyes on the phenomena that bear witness to the diversity of our blue planet, and to become aware of the fragility of this balance.
Visit Guide
Read moreFor all those who wish to visit the exhibition, a visitor’s guide, specially designed by graphic artist Anaëlle Clot, will be made available to the public free of charge.
A brochure offering a special tour for children aged 8 to 12 will be available to discover the Listening to the Earth exhibition.
Curators
Amélie Bannwart
Isaline Vuille
Staging
Magali Conus
Boris Dennler
Artists featured
→ Adrien Chevalley (CH)
→ Céline Cléron (FR)
→ Laura Couto Rosado (CH)
→ Bouke de Vries (NL)
→ Boris Dennler (CH)
→ Anaïs Dunn (FR)
→ FormaFantasma (IT)
→ Laure Gonthier (CH)
→ Fabrice Gygi & Marine Julié (CH, FR)
→ David Horvitz (US)
→ huber.huber (CH)
→ Claudie et Francis Hunzinger (FR)
→ Anne Knödler (D)
→ Tomas Kral (SL)
→ Tomas Libertiny (SK)
→ Benoît Maire (FR)
→ Yusuké Offhause (FR/JP)
→ Yann Oulevay (CH)
→ Sandrine Pelletier (CH)
→ Adrien Rovero (CH)
→ Denis Savary (CH)
→ Maude Schneider (CH)
→ Bernhard Schobinger (CH)
→ Brynjar Sigurdarson (IS)
→ Verena Sieber-Fuchs (CH)
→ Studio Wieki Somers (NL)
→ Nel Verbeke (BE)
→ Pedro Wirz (CH/BR)
Competition - The work of the public
During the exhibition, the public is invited to take part in the RTS Culture x mudac competition. To be won: entrance tickets, guided tours, vouchers for the mudac-Photo Elysée bookshop and a meeting with the winning artist on 8 September at mudac at Plateforme 10.
- Juratuf n°2, Bertille Laguet
- Radiator Chair, Boris Dennler
- Veilleuse tellurique, Laura Couto Rosado
Bertille Laguet, Juratuf n°2, 2018
Coffee table in painted steel, designflex©, 60 x 40.2 x 55 cm
This coffee table is made of a new material called “designflex” which consists of a natural stone surface – slate and mica-schist – reinforced with glass fibre and resin making the material flexible, unbreakable and imperishable. Laguet uses her expertise in metal to create a minimal metal framework and then applies the thin sheet of stone using a clever assembly inspired by traditional forging methods. The result is stunning: seemingly made of solid stone, the table is actually very light and elegant.
This piece is a perfect reflection of the designer’s mindset: innovation in the use of unusual materials, the deployment of her various skills, and local and eco-friendly manufacturing.
Boris Dennler, Radiator Chair, 2016
Recycled and sandblasted radiator, varnished, metal 90 x 50 x 80 cm
The idea for Radiator Chair was born during a visit to a scrap metal dealer. At the top of a pile of objects was a twisted old radiator and, from a distance, the artist saw the shape of a seat. Subsequent models were given chrome legs and then “sledge” legs. This is more a work that dresses up a space than a comfortable seat – the material is cold, but the concept of warmth comes into play with the idea of the radiator’s original function. The designer likes to go beyond traditional categories by taking challenging objects and giving them a new form, function and status. Finding innovative solutions through the prism of design to avoid the obsolescence of objects, particularly plastics, whose consequences are disastrous for the planet, is one of the driving forces underlying his approach.
Laura Couto Rosado, Veilleuse tellurique, 2015
Porcelain, gold gilding, LED, computer connection, H 25 cm
Like a signal in the heart of the room, the Veilleuse tellurique (Earthquake Watch) pulses, transmitting via coloured LED lights, Switzerland’s seismic activity in real time – the lowintensity lights testify to the continuous activity of the Earth. The work is linked to a processor, connected to a computer, which interprets the seismic data recorded on the Internet. Each invisible but perceptible tremor is then relayed by means of light signals. A unique object created in collaboration with the Manufacture de Sèvres, the body of the watch is made of enamelled porcelain and is decorated with a fine gold pattern.
Partners
The exhibition is supported by its partners : Julius Bar, main partner, and RTS-Radio Télévision Suisse, media partner of the exhibition.