Swiss Art Awards at Art Basel

On the sidelines of Art Basel, the Federal Office of Culture presents the Swiss Art Awards: 20 works honoured out of 568 entries, and for the first time design included in the ceremony. Thomas Huber is among the winners of the Prix Meret Oppenheim.

Alain Berset recalls that the Federal Art Commission counted Böcklin and Anker among its members in 1890, and quotes Böcklin: “Nichts können ist noch lange keine neue Richtung!” He describes an art scene in which the divide between French and German speakers no longer means anything. Basel, Zurich, Geneva and Lausanne have become “hubs”. The Swiss artist no longer needs to flee the country: “Die „grosse weite Welt“ ist kein Ort. Sondern ein Zustand.”

Speeches on this site

• Prix fédéraux d’art 2013 : « Die Selbst-Entdeckung der Schweiz » (in German, French-language page)

Sources

• Federal Council, press release of 10.06.2013