Anton Bruhin's Retrospective at Istituto Svizzero Milan Showcases Five Decades of Playful Conceptualism
The Istituto Svizzero in Milan showcased a retrospective of Anton Bruhin from October 23 to December 12, 2015, presenting approximately one hundred pieces created from 1975 to the present. Born in Lachen in 1949, Bruhin was associated with the Zurich avant-garde movement of the 1960s and formed a friendship with David Weiss, to whom he dedicated his 2012 series 'Hice for Weiss.' The exhibition featured an innovative arrangement of drawings, paintings, and mosaics, while a separate room displayed sound poems alongside the reissued 1977 cycle 'Vogelsang/Vogelsong/Vogelsung/Vögelsäng' by Alga Marghen. Bruhin's artistic exploration includes turning everyday items into musical instruments and delving into themes of geometry and digitalization, with significant works such as 'Panorama Letzigrund' (2012) and 'Selbstportrait mit Mickey' (1984).
Key facts
- Anton Bruhin's retrospective ran from October 23 to December 12, 2015 at Istituto Svizzero in Milan
- The exhibition featured around 100 works including drawings, paintings, and mosaics from 1975 to the present
- Bruhin was born in 1949 in Lachen and is part of the Zurich avant-garde scene
- He creates DIY musical instruments, using a plastic tube filled with water as a resonator for his electrified Jew's harp
- The display included sound poems and records, such as the reissued 'Vogelsang/Vogelsong/Vogelsung/Vögelsäng' (1977) by Alga Marghen
- Works were installed in swarms and grids, with some placed high near the ceiling for a levity effect
- Bruhin's mosaics use black and white Lego blocks to mimic computer-generated imagery
- The exhibition contrasted plein air painting with geometric serialization, featuring pieces like 'Selbstportrait mit Mickey' (1984)
Entities
Artists
- Anton Bruhin
- David Weiss
- Kazimir Malevich
Institutions
- Istituto Svizzero
- ArtReview
- Alga Marghen
Locations
- Milan
- Italy
- Lachen
- Switzerland
- Zurich