Swiss artist Markus Raetz dies at 78

Swiss artist Markus Raetz died on April 14, 2020, at age 78 after a long illness, as announced by SRF radio. Born in 1941 in Büren an der Aare near Bern, he debuted in the late 1960s and participated in the landmark 1969 exhibition "When Attitudes Become Form" in Bern. Raetz represented Switzerland at the 1988 Venice Biennale and took part in Documenta in Kassel in 1968, 1972, and 1982. His work evolved from painting to sculpture in the 1980s; in 1984 he created the public installation "Der Kopf" in Basel's Marian Park. Major retrospectives include those at Kunstmuseum Basel (2012) and MASI Lugano (2016). His works are held by institutions such as MoMA New York, Tate Gallery London, Centre Pompidou Paris, and Museum für Moderne Kunst Frankfurt. The gallery Monica De Cardenas, which represented him for 25 years, paid tribute, noting his poetic and essential imagery. The Kunstmuseum Luzern and Musées d'Art et d'Histoire Geneva also honored him; the latter holds 338 of his works.