Fondation Opale expands with new wing dedicated to Aboriginal art

The Fondation Opale in Lens/Crans Montana, Switzerland, has opened a new wing designed by Évéquoz Ferreira, adding an auditorium, library-archive, conservation spaces, and a vegetalized terrace. The expansion was funded by 12 million Swiss francs from Bérengère Primat, the municipality of Lens, Banque Cantonale du Valais, and Loterie Romande. The foundation, Europe's only center exclusively for Aboriginal art, now houses over 1,500 works from 350+ artists. The current exhibition "Artiste Activiste Archiviste: Bernhard Lüthi Invite" runs until November 10, featuring Lüthi's archive of 5,300 documents, 5,000 slides, and 1,200 works, which will be transferred to the new library. Lüthi, a Swiss artist and curator, has championed Aboriginal art since the 1970s, organizing landmark shows like Magiciens de la Terre (1989) and Aratjara (1993-1994). The foundation's entrance now features a work by Jackie Kurltjunyintja Giles Tjapaltjarri in anodized steel panels.