SGS: Art and architecture

Ask a young child to draw a house, and s/he will render a cube with a pointy hat, windows evenly distributed. This is Swiss architecture. Now show that child pictures of, say, a few Greek temples or Victorian mansions. S/he might feel moved to elaborate his/her house by drawing on a few pillars, floral motifs etc. This is Swiss design. They don't build decoration into the structure, they paint it on afterwards. Once you get used to it, it has its own charm. Apart from looking like a country built entirely out of souvenir kitsch, that is.

While I'm not aware of any particularly Swiss schools of art*, there are a number of famous Swiss artists (including an architect, Le Corbusier; while not the kind of cubes I had in mind, nonetheless you will observe his distinctly blocky style). Theophile Steinlen is a personal favourite - yes, I have unsophisticated tastes - but of greater note is Paul Klee. And let us not forget Giger. You see? I told you - these Swiss are crazy.


There is also, in Davos, a museum devoted entirely to Ernst Ludwig Kirchner - a German-born artist who lived for a long time in the area, and painted it quite spectacularly. Look at the picture at top; imagine it on an enormous canvas, in thick paint, colours saturated and glowing. Imagine a room full of landscapes like that. Imagine another room with paintings of semi-abstract human figures and still lifes. I tell you seriously: breathtaking. Few exhibitions have impressed me that much.

_____
* Edit: obviously, I forgot about the birth of Dada. But these were artists in exile in Zurich, not actual Swiss artists. Hm...