In global exhibition, Swiss artists mirror humanity’s struggles

Renaissance: Artwork about humanitarian principles — Sarah Carp reflects on her own life as a parent and the challenge she was facing at the time. (Rebecca Bowring, The Mechanical Bride, 2018, Rebecca Bowring) Sarah Carp

Selfish: Artwork about humanitarian principles — Porchet’s film Selfish deals with inequality, as demonstrated in a fish fight over food. (Selfish, 2018, Cyril Porchet) Cyril Porchet

Journees: Abstract art about humanitarian principles — Abstract artwork 'Similar days', depicting how people connect.J. (Journées semblables, Manon Wertenbroek, 2018) Manon Wertenbroek

Caravan park — Yann Gross highlights the fact that homelessness gets much more media coverage than the plight of refugees. (Les Maraudeurs, 2018, Yann Gross) Yann_gross

Memorial Garden: Abstract art piece about humanitarian principles — Virginie Rebetez focuses on humanity as concerns both the living and the dead. (Memorial Garden, 2018, Virginie Rebetez) Virginie Rebetez

Le Salève (The Salève) — Laurence Rasti deals with identity, human rights and migration, using moving stories she found close to home. (Le Salève, 2018, Laurence Rasti) Laurence Rasti

Mark Henley, two-times Swiss Press Photographer of the Year, shows the defacing of a public photo exhibition in Geneva about asylum seekers. (Facing Prejudice, 2018, Mark Henley) Mark Henley

Schmolltz: Artwork about humanitarian principles — “Expressing an artistic perspective on a humanitarian issue and seeing its impact in a local and contemporary context was certainly educational.” (Schmolitz, 2018, Caroline Etter) Caroline Etter

The Mechanical Bride Artwork. — In her composition, Rebecca Bowring uses mirrored images to highlight the loss of human interaction in society. (The Mechanical Bride, 2018, Rebecca Bowring) Rebecca Bowring

On n’y comprend rien (We Understand Nothing): Artwork. — Mathieu Bernard-Reymond’s film focuses on the importance of being good to others in order to feel human. (On n’y comprend rien, 2018, Mathieu Bernard-Reymond) Mathieu Bernard-Reymond

This content was published on March 9, 2020 - 11:00

Julie worked as a radio reporter for BBC and independent radio all over the UK before joining swissinfo.ch's predecessor, Swiss Radio International, as a producer. After attending film school, Julie worked as an independent filmmaker before coming to swissinfo.ch in 2001. 

Born in England, I've lived in Switzerland since 1994. I trained as a graphic designer in Zurich between 1997 – 2002. More recently I have moved on to work as photo editor and joined the team at swissinfo.ch in March 2017.

Helen James photo editor, Julie Hunt, text, swissinfo.ch

Do you feel helpless or overwhelmed when you see so many news images of armed conflicts and natural disasters around the world?

Ten Swiss artists are interpreting this daily diet of human suffering in a travelling exhibition that is currently doing the rounds of Swiss embassies around the world.

One of the participants, Cyril Porchet, captured on film how koi carps fight for food. He explained, “When I saw these fish struggle to survive, I felt distressed about the inequality among them.” The film, “Selfish,” invites the viewers to reflect on how inequalities affect them in their lives.

The exhibitionExternal link, named “Humanitarian Principles. Here and Now”, was produced jointly by the Musée de l’Elysée in Lausanne, the Swiss foreign ministry and the International Committee of the Red Cross.

It has already been shown in Caracas, Kyiv, Geneva, Madrid and Warsaw. From April 15 to May 15, it will be shown at the Galicia Jewish MuseumExternal link in Krakóv, Poland. It is on display at the Musée de l’Elysée until Dec. 2022.

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