(re)connecting.earth (02) - Beyond Water

Biennial of art and urban nature

(re)connecting.earth (02) presents artworks in public space, created by 25 local and international artists. Through art and science, the biennial invites the viewer to discover nature in the city, and to (re)focus attention on the natural beings and elements that design it.

A 30-day program is offered, developed in collaboration with partner associations and institutions, including workshops, performances, screenings, conferences and a competition for young artists – all documented in a publication. After focusing on urban gardens and eco-districts in a double edition in Geneva and Berlin in 2021, the 2023 biennial will focus on the theme of lake and water.

The route in Geneva, around the harbour, is designed in 15 places near the ports of the Mouettes genevoises ferry system, and also gives pride of place to locations rich in biodiversity, such as the Pointe à la Bise and the Lac des Vernes.

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The announcement of the 25 artists of (re)connecting.earth (02) - Beyond Water, the venues and the partners will be made at the press conference on May 2nd 2023 in Geneva.

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Outdoor artworks on the shores of Lake Geneva – and a month-long program of activities in partnership with scientific and environmental associations – to connect with the lake and its biodiversity.

After an exploration of urban gardens and eco-districts in 2021, the 2023 Biennale of Art and Urban Nature focuses on the theme of the lake and water. The itinerary is largely centered around the bay, from the Eaux-Vives beach to the Gustave-Ador quay and up to the Bains des Pâquis, while also highlighting biodiverse locations such as the Pointe à la Bise and the Lac des Vernes.

The biennial of art and urban nature highlights works of art, places of nature in the city, and activities related to environment.

The choice of the harbour, the beach, and the baths as exhibition spaces and places of exchange between artists and scientists not only allows a large public to discover some of the works – intentionally or not – but also to invite visitors and artists to a terrain particularly inspiring for its history, its biodiversity, and the social interactions that take place there.

In addition to the newly-created works and those presented in the partner locations, the route, the cartography, the exhibition guide and the signage also highlight nature-in-the-city projects and a selection of already existing public works. With a view to sustainability, whether in terms of public art or artistic and environmental programs, (re)connecting.earth (02) - Beyond Water attempts to highlight the current offer, and to create synergies giving these initiatives and existing works visibility to other types of audiences.

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Within the framework of the biennial, a competition is open to all students enrolled in a Master's degree in visual arts, visual communication or illustration at a Swiss university/school of art and design. To participate, please see the call for projects below.

Francesca Benini (Curator at Museo d’arte della Svizzera italiana di Lugano); Roxane Bovet (independent curator & Editions Clinamen, Geneva); Dehlia Hannah (CIC Berlin); Elisabeth Jobin (Curator and art historian, Geneva); Ursula Ströbele (Zentralinstitut für Kunstgeschichte, München); Mirjam Varadinis (Curator at Kunsthaus Zürich); Bernard Vienat (Head of art­werk and initiator of (re)connecting.earth, Geneva/Berlin).