The Swiss artist Nicolas Vionnet is fascinated by such irritations as interventions that approach and create a non-hierarchical dialogue with the environment. This discussion opens up a field of tension, which allows the viewer an intensive glimpse of both these phenomena. The artist uses this approach and the same strategy for his installations and objects. Irritation and integration. A fundamental confrontation with the history of a place leads to a subtle and more precise intervention of the object.
"In times like these, the relationship to one's own work becomes even stronger. It is like a good friend who is always there for you and on whom you can rely."
Nicolas Vionnet Zurich, Switzerland. May 22, 2020
Always Let the Dust Settle First (2019)
4 x 16 x 7 cm, vintage pocket watches, potting soilNicolas Vionnet’s Always Let the Dust Settle First refers to the old German saying, “Gras über etwas wachsen lassen” (let grass grow over a thing) which means that something hopefully falls into oblivion after a certain time. “If you want to let grass grow over a thing, you are faced with a fundamental problem. Something should be forgotten,” states Vionnet. “You try to do this by covering something – in this case with grass – that otherwise would immediately catch the eye of an observer and evoke an unwanted memory. Forgetting is the loss of memory – it is in one person’s interest to prevent the memory of others.”
Always Stand on The Bright Side of Life (2019)
250 x 80 x 55 cm, steel walker, pipe extension, lamp shade, light bulbsAlways Stand on The Bright Side of Life is a sculptural work by Swiss artist Nicolas Vionnet. Through the careful selection of materials, Vionnet succeeds in merging two completely different objects in a humorous and believable way. Although irony is clearly in the foreground, at second glance the work addresses serious themes such as aging, loneliness and loss of control.