Pioneering spirit in culture

Editor Pascale Diggelmann

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Five events with and about artists who have shaped their scene

I like pioneers. People who have the courage to break new ground, regardless of what others think. People who are bubbling over with creativity and a desire to create something that has never been heard or seen before. The following five event tips put the spotlight on pioneers who have had a lasting impact on the world of culture or are in the process of doing so.

The new jazz movement

The London jazz movement is a prime example of pioneering spirit: young people are reinventing jazz, exploring boundaries, incorporating elements of Afrobeat, hip-hop or electronica and making jazz danceable, club-ready and cool. Alfa Mist belongs to precisely this movement. The sound of the self-taught pianist and producer is somewhere between jazz, hip-hop and soul.

The ceramic artist

Margrit Linck was the first woman to open a pottery in Switzerland in the 1930s. In addition to art objects, she also created countless pieces of utility ceramics, which are still made by hand in the Margrit Linck studio near Bern today. In the exhibition about Margrit Linck, you can follow her constant search for new forms through her works, drawings and photographs.

The feminist Neoperreo artist

I love reggaeton. But I find the lyrics difficult, as they can be quite borderline. It's good that there are musicians like MS Nina who are putting a feminist stamp on the genre. And that also makes her one of the most important co-founders of Neoperreo, the more inclusive sub-genre of reggaeton culture.

The intrepid photographer

The title of this film alone sounds epic: South: Sir Ernest Shakleton's Glorious Epic of the Antarctic. Ernest Shackleton was a famous explorer and discoverer in his time and what made him so special was that his expeditions regularly failed. One of his spectacular expeditions to Antarctica was accompanied by photographer Frank Hurley. When the ship got stuck in the pack ice after only a short time, most of the equipment had to be left behind - but thanks to Hurley's leap into the icy water, some film discs and rolls of film were saved. Hurley used this material to produce South, one of the very first documentary films.

The fashion designer

Ursula Hodel is one of Switzerland's best-known fashion pioneers. She developed from an unassuming country girl into an internationally sought-after costume designer and founded her own fashion label. In the exhibition wild and beautiful you can trace her unconventional biography and immerse yourself in the 1970s, the world of new beginnings and the fashion avant-garde.

Published from Pascale Diggelmann on January 11, 2024.