92 days, 6 hours, 19 minutes, 35 seconds

Geneva (02)
Poster of the Biennial, graphic design Emma Kouassi et Roman Karrer, 2023

Venues

The biennal will take place in various exciting locations in Geneva :

Various landing stages of the "Mouettes genevoises" (Molard, Pâquis, Port-Noir, Chateaubriand) • Eaux-Vives Beach • Bains des Pâquis • Fishing House (Maison de la pêche) • Association for the Protection of Lake Geneva (Association pour la Sauvegarde du Léman) • Mont-Blanc bridge • Geneva Boat (Bateau Genève) • Vernes Lake (Lac des Vernes) • Forum de Meyrin

A first series of artists

Maria Thereza Alves • Caroline Bachmann • Flurina Badel and Jérémie Sarbach • Lluís Alexandre Casanovas Blanco • Mauren Brodbeck • Luis Camnitzer • Gabo Camnitzer • Seba Calfuqueo • Julian Charrière • Jonathan Delachaux et collectif Tchan-Zâca • Mark Dion • Andreas Greiner & Takafumi Tsukamoto • Valérie Favre • Anne-Laure Franchette • Marie Griesmar • Hans Haacke • Christina Hemauer and Roman Keller • Monica Ursina Jäger • Alexandre Joly • Antje Majewski • Adrien Missika • Yoan Mudry • Uriel Orlow • Carmen Perrin • Som Supaparinya • Denim Szram • Raul Walch • Pinar Yoldas • Zheng Bo

To find out the details of the programme in real time

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  • Exhibition - 1/09 to 1/10/2023
  • Opening - 1/09/2023, from 5pm - on the Bateau Genève

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.

Geneva (02)
Flurina Badel and Jérémie Sarbach, in research for the biennial, 2022 – Flurina Badel et Jérémie Sarbach, en recherche pour la biennale, 2022

(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.

Geneva (02)
Open call poster

Student artist competition

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 Swissschool of art and design. Two artists from the HEAD-Genève and another Swiss art school will be chosen to create a new work of art. To participate, please see the call for projects below!

Selection panel

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).

Open call registration form

Partnerships and collaborations

Association pour la Sauvegarde du Léman • Les Mouettes genevoises • Haute-école d’art et de design (HEAD) • Pro Natura Genève • Association des usagers des Bains des Pâquis • Association pour le Bateau Genève • La Libellule • Programme Nature en ville de l’Etat de Genève • Département de l’instruction publique (DIP) • Festival du Film Vert • Meyrin Durable • Service des expositions de la Ville de Meyrin • Anyone Can Sail

Geneva (02)
Emma Kouassi and Roman Karrer, visual identity of the Biennale, 2023
Geneva (02)
Raul Walch, Semaphores, 2016, ©Raul Walch. A series of performances that the artist will continue in Geneva.
Geneva (02)
Shot at the Pro Natura Natura Reserve La Pointe à la Bise, one of the satellite sites of the Biennial.
Geneva (02)
Carmen Perrin, La découverte, 2005, ©Carmen Perrin. The Bains des Pâquis, one of the privileged places of the biennial, is already home to a little-known work by the artist Carmen Perrin, which will also be put forward.
Geneva (02)
"Mouette genevoise" boat in front of the Bains des Pâquis which will house a work by Alexandre Joly.

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