Monte Verità

Monte Verità is the name of a place that encapsulates a part of literary history (Herman Hesse), dance (Rudolf Laban), and contemporary art (Harald Szaemann) over the past hundred years. This convergence of experiences became possible thanks to a community of pioneers such as Henri Oedenkoven, Karl Gräser, Gustav Gräser, Ida Hoffmann, Jenny Hofmann, and Lotte Hattement. They settled on this hill in sunny southern Switzerland in 1900 with the aim of restoring a connection between humans and nature, inspired by the Lebensreform movement. A community of vegan naked dancers emerged in the conservative town of Ascona, transforming it into a sanatorium where people could live happily. This legendary utopia ended 14 years after the beginning, but its legacy remains powerful to this day. The Monte Verità revolutionary experience continues to serve as a life model in response to the frantic and voracious consumption of our resources. It successfully channeled and engaged a creative force by acting as the center of an intellectual community. Now, Monte Verità has become a hotel hosting scientific events for ETH Zurich and artistic activities, in continuity with its tradition of welcoming artists.

This project was developed during my stay at Monte Verità from April 18 to April 27, 2023. Each artistic residency provides me with a valuable opportunity to reflect on our connection to the world and how we inhabit it (indeed, this is the implicit meaning of "residency," which suggests inhabiting a place). My brief immersion in this « Magic Hill », steeped in mythology and history, prompted me to carefully observe my surroundings, inquiring into the elements that imbue this location with its magical and magnetic aura, echoing the ideal of a harmonious relationship with nature espoused during the Lebensreform period. Lake Maggiore, the Maggia River, the Balladrum, and other such landmarks are not mere geographical markers but rather fragments of a profoundly immersive sensory and emotional experience. In my visual memories, these places serve as portals to unique experiences, bridging the gap between culture and nature. Indeed, this residency represented a welcome escape from the chaotic rhythm of the metropolis I encounter on a daily routine. It transformed into a form of isolation that evolved into a pleasant meditative solitude, shaped by both new rituals and old obsessions.