Marie-Claude Jéquier

Contemporary art in Lausanne exists and I have met it: by visiting each year for twenty years, along with the city’s Fonds des arts plastiques, the dozen or so artists’ studios. And I have always been struck by the creativity, the diversity, the passion and the tenacity that characterises our artists. Nothing is missing for the art scene to be rich and dynamic: there is an art school with an international reputation, the ECAL; galleries and exhibition spaces that defend contemporary creation; patrons, banks, and public and private organisms who acquire or commission works; critics who highlight the importance of creativity; catalogues, books, and magazines that ensure promotion and continuity thanks to, among others, first-rate printers and editors. Despite the fact that our artists are present beyond Lausanne’s borders, this busyness might seem less visible on the Swiss scale than that of a city like Basel, apart from the fascinating but ephemeral adventure of the Asher Edelman Foundation. Is this due to the lack of an exhibition space dedicated to contemporary art, a “kunsthalle” like the ones that we find elsewhere? It is certain that the Fine Arts Museum is only able to exhibit contemporary art only occasionally. Let’s hope that the new “museum hub” will soon fill the gap! To create is one thing, and to find one’s public is another. Luckily, there are many places that promote and let people discover artists: first off, the Galerie Alice Pauli has presented for many years what is most interesting in contemporary art, and its regular presence at Art Basel has been Lausanne’s pride. Other places worthy of mention are the Lucy Mackintosh Gallery, Synopsis m, ESF, as well as the Chuv’s Hall and the outdoor and indoor public spaces employed by Visarte. In addition, there are the more “avant-garde” locations, like the Elac, Circuit, Doll, abstract… The Mudac also presents creations that are of the forefront of design, graphic design, glass sculpture, and the Elysée Museum exhibits renowned photographers and young talents, both from the region and abroad. Public institutions and architecture studios are also at the origin of many competitions to bridge the gap between art, architecture and the public space – the best example of this to my eyes is “Eole”, the work by Clelia Bettua on the Ouchy waterfront. Finally, there are many incredibly active organisations and associations, such as the Association Vie-art-cité, which has just published a very interesting magazine: “Oblique”.