extended until July 9, 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 is a hymn to bread and the people who make it - bakers, but also bread lovers from all cultures - and offers a new look at this food 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, they live and work in Langenbruck (BL). Together they design sprawling world analyses with their installations. Imagination, political attitude, inventiveness and light-footed humor characterize their work. Now they dedicate themselves to a staple food - bread.
The exhibition
"And now the bread. The artists 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 the fall of 2021 at the FRAC art center. During their research, the artists discovered the diverse baking culture of Maghrebian immigrants in their markets, and the wealth of bread forms 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, started collecting breads - and inventing them. They have now adapted and further developed the resulting exhibition "Copains" for Zurich."
Text by Mathias Balzer
To the full article
Breads from all over the world
Part of the exhibition consists of a large table with breads from Zurich bakeries, connected with their history. Breads from France, Russia, Italy, as well as gestalt and ritual breads - baked from historical images.
Fantasy breads
Among this already large collection are the most diverse bread creations such as: the earth bread, the tar bread, the bread with a baked remote control, the 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 or the "Blökende Brot" by Kuno Schaub.
Breadcrumb Lab & Bread Tasting
In this part of the exhibition, visitors can put bread crumbs under the microscope and print out the fantastic pictures. To concentrate completely on the taste of bread, a dark bread tasting booth is available.
Events
Continuing exhibition
"Death - our daily bread"
In the Forum Sihlfeld cemetery (at the other end of the city), the artists even manage to link the life-giving bread with death.
This exhibition takes place in parallel with "Copain": In the summer of 2022, the artist couple planted a 400-square-meter wheat field of "Blé populaire" in the Sihlfeld cemetery. The harvested wheat was transported to Mühlerama , where it will in turn be used to bake artisan breads 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
Publishing house
Publishing House for Modern Art, Vienna
ISBN 9783903439504
Edition 600 copies
German/ English
With financial support from
Vontobel Foundation, Cultural Office of the Canton of Zurich, Ernst Göhner Foundation, Contribution Fund of the Finance Department of the City of Zurich, 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 Bakery zum Brotkorb AG
