Isa Hesse-Rabinovitch! Exhibition at Museo Hermann Hesse Montagnola
The Museo Hermann Hesse Montagnola in Switzerland is hosting 'Isa Hesse-Rabinovitch!', a retrospective on the Swiss artist Isa Hesse-Rabinovitch (1917–2003), open until November 1, 2026. Known primarily as the illustrator of her father-in-law Hermann Hesse's books, the exhibition aims to highlight her independent artistic voice. Curator and museum director Marcel Henry notes that the Canton Ticino provided her with an ideal retreat and freedom for refined visual experiments. Hesse-Rabinovitch's work spans photography, film, and drawing. In the 1950s, she rejected documentary photography, using the lens like a pencil to capture minimal details and light contrasts. She later transitioned to film, founding Switzerland's first women's film festival in 1975. In 1982, her film 'Sirenen-Eiland' was shown at MoMA in New York. Her 1989 feature 'Geister und Gäste' was shot in a burned-out luxury hotel on Lake Maggiore, featuring Swiss cultural figures like architect Mario Botta and poet Jo Mihaly. The exhibition also serves as the last chance to see the museum before it closes for renovation in November, ahead of the 2027 celebration of Hermann Hesse's 150th birthday. The article suggests a combined visit with MUSEC in Lugano, which offers complementary programming.
Key facts
- Isa Hesse-Rabinovitch (1917–2003) was a Swiss artist, illustrator, photographer, and filmmaker.
- She was the daughter-in-law of Nobel Prize winner Hermann Hesse.
- She illustrated covers and pages for Hesse's books including 'Kleine Betrachtungen' (1942), 'Berg und See' (1943), 'Der Pfirsichbaum' (1945), and 'Der Wolf' (1955).
- The exhibition 'Isa Hesse-Rabinovitch!' is on view at the Museo Hermann Hesse Montagnola until November 1, 2026.
- Marcel Henry is the director and curator of the museum.
- In the 1950s, she produced photoreportages for Swiss press from India and South America, but rejected documentary photography.
- In 1975, she founded the first women's film festival in Switzerland.
- In 1982, her film 'Sirenen-Eiland' was presented at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York.
- Her 1989 feature film 'Geister und Gäste' was shot in a ruined luxury hotel on Lake Maggiore, with a cast including architect Mario Botta and poet Jo Mihaly.
- The museum will close for renovation after the exhibition, in preparation for the 150th anniversary of Hermann Hesse's birth in 2027.
- The article suggests visiting MUSEC (Museo delle Culture) in Lugano as a complementary stop.
Entities
Artists
- Isa Hesse-Rabinovitch
- Hermann Hesse
- Mario Botta
- Jo Mihaly
- La Lupa (Maryli Maura Herz-Marconi)
- Luisa Taliento
Institutions
- Museo Hermann Hesse Montagnola
- MoMA (Museum of Modern Art)
- MUSEC (Museo delle Culture)
- Artribune
Locations
- Montagnola
- Switzerland
- Canton Ticino
- India
- South America
- New York
- Lake Maggiore
- Lugano
- Villa Malpensata