3.9.2022 - 9.7.2023
C O P A I N
Gerda Steiner & Jörg Lenzlinger
Steiner & Lenzlinger
The exhibition
Tours & Events
Continuing exhibition
Directions
The exhibition C O P A I N by artists Gerda Steiner and Jörg Lenzlinger was a hymn to bread and the people who make it - bakers, but also bread lovers from all cultures - and offered a new look at this foodstuff, whose history begins with the beginnings of agriculture and which has been constantly evolving ever since.
Steiner & Lenzlinger
Gerda Steiner (*1967, Ettiswil) and Jörg Lenzlinger (*1964, Uster) are a Swiss artist duo who live and work in Langenbruck (BL). Together they create expansive analyses of the world with their installations. Imagination, political attitude, inventiveness and light-footed humor characterize their work. Now they have turned their attention to a staple food - bread.
The exhibition
"And now bread. The artist couple came across the topic thanks to an invitation for a show at Manifesta 2020 in Marseille - which, due to the pandemic, did not open until autumn 2021 at the FRAC art center. During their research, the artists discovered the diverse baking culture of Maghrebi immigrants in the markets and the wealth of bread shapes around the Mediterranean in a museum exhibition. The theme was set. They began their research on the history and politics of wheat, on different forms of cultivation and baking, and started collecting - and inventing - breads. They adapted and further developed the resulting "Copains" exhibition for Zurich."
Text by Mathias Balzer
To the whole article
Breads from all over the world
One part of the exhibition consisted of a large table with breads from Zurich bakeries, linked to their history. Breads from France, Russia, Italy, as well as shape and ritual breads - baked from historical illustrations.
Fantasy breads
This already large collection included a wide variety of bread creations such as: earth and tar bread, bread with a baked-in remote control, foam bread and many more.
Artists' breads
The collection includes various breads by artists such as "Aus der Backstube des Denkens" by Peter Radelfinger, "Geschnitztes Brot" by Rochus Lussi and "Blökende Brot" by Kuno Schaub.
Bread crumb laboratory & bread tasting
In this part of the exhibition, visitors could place bread crumbs under the microscope and print out the fantastic images. A dark bread tasting booth was available so that visitors could concentrate fully on the taste of bread.
Continuing exhibition
"Death - our daily bread"
In the Forum Sihlfeld cemetery (at the other end of the city), the artists even succeeded in linking life-giving bread with death.
This exhibition took place parallel to "Copain": In the summer of 2022, the artist couple planted a 400-square-meter wheat field of "Blé populaire" at Sihlfeld cemetery. The harvested wheat was transported to Mühlerama , where it was used to bake artisan bread for the exhibition.
Imprint
Artists
Gerda Steiner and Jörg Lenzlinger
Overall management
Pius Tschumi
Graphic Communication/ Catalog
Emanuel Tschumi
Exhibition setup
Andreas Bommer, René Fahrni, Moritz Gysi, Linus Maurmann, Mayo Irion, Xavi Serra, David Walsh
Bakery Mühlerama
Xavi Serra
media
Tweaklab AG, Roland Brönnimann
Photos catalog
Jörg Lenzlinger, Martin Stollenwerk, Reto Bühler
Publisher
Publishing house for modern art, Vienna
ISBN 9783903439504
Edition 600 copies
German/ English
With financial support from
Vontobel Foundation, Canton of Zurich Culture Department, Ernst Göhner Foundation, City of Zurich Finance Department Participation Fund, Dr. Georg and Josi Guggenheim Foundation, Walter Haefner Foundation, Otto Gamma Foundation, Elisabeth Weber Foundation, Grütli Foundation Zurich, Erna and Curt Burgauer Foundation, Boner Foundation for Art and Culture, Bertschi Bäckerei zum Brotkorb AG