Exhibition: A fresh start with cheeky accents

Again and again, the participants of Kubeis, the art workshop on the Lorze in Cham, manage to surprise people with their diverse and artistic work. This is also the case at this year's exhibition, which is held in the Shedhalle for the first time, and is taking place under the motto "New Start”. The vernissage took place on Thursday, and introduced 233 works, almost twice as many works as usual.

According to Lukas Meyer, Managing Director of Kubeis, the increased space that is now available makes it possible to show even larger works and installations, with the free space in the hall permitting an undistorted view of the artworks. For him it is important that “One should discard the idea of handicapped art, and instead open one’s eyes to the wide range of the artistic activity.”

This is a new beginning for everyone at Kubeis, especially because of the new Artistic Director, Sandra Bucheli, who has been working in the Cham institution since April. She studied art, and has been able to encourage the nearly 40 participants to "be more daring and take more space". As can be seen from the individual works, this is exactly what they did.

The exhibition was not set up with the usual partition walls, but with a special room layout. The participating artists defined seven concepts, such as repentance, revolution, openness and so on, to which they have themselves assigned their own works: seven islands have been created, with different colours and atmospheres. The works do not hang on a wall here, but are mounted unframed on the cardboard walls. And the spaces between them are also used for works of art.

The improvised range of works contains abstract and figurative drawings and paintings, series, prints, objects, and installations such as the mysterious "Darkroom", with illuminated silhouettes of anatomical details. At the entrance to the hall, the public is greeted with a "fireworks display" above their heads, which is completely harmless - because it is crocheted and knitted - to which the wishes of the visitors can be attached.

The exhibition shows drawings and paintings, series, prints, objects and installations.

Another work, the seven-metre long paper roll with abstract, shapes drawn onto it floats in the middle of the room. An artistic direction is not prescribed to the participants at Kubeis. As Sandra Bucheli emphasizes, all styles are allowed, and "everyone can join in, but nobody has to". "It’s important to me to promote people artistically, to allow a discourse or process. I encourage them to explore what takes place between the work and the visitors at an exhibition. It’s important to ask questions about the work of the artist in order to encourage him/her to develop further. Most participants are open to such impulses and let themselves be inspired.”

Lukas Meyer is convinced that the new line can already be seen in their artistic expression: "Some of the people have blossomed, they absorb all impulses, while others are more restrained. But that's OK as well. Many things are possible with us. In contrast to what we had before, the work seems to me to be more cheeky, modern and diverse."

The exhibition in the Shedhalle Zug, Hofstrasse runs until 24^th November, and is open as follows:
Tuesday and Wednesday from 11 am to 6 pm, Thursday and Friday from 11 am to 8 pm, and Saturday and Sunday from 11 am to 4 pm.
Supporting program: Saturday, 16^th November, 7 pm, Concert by Anna Trauffer;
Sat, 23^rd November, 7 pm, reading with Judith Keller
Soup and aperitif on both dates, from 6 pm.