Musée International
de la Croix-Rouge et du Croissant-Rouge
Musée International
de la Croix-Rouge et du Croissant-Rouge

Presse



Die Ausstellung

HUMAN.KIND.
A New Look at Humanitarian Photography Through 10 Editions of the Prix Pictet

From 19 October 2023 to 25 August 2024

Human.Kind. presents an alternative approach to photographing humanitarian action. The exhibition showcases the work of 30 of the 3,000 photographers from around the world who’ve been nominated for the Prix Pictet since it was first awarded in 2008. Their images depict key aspects of humanitarian action differently from anything we see in the news. What sets them apart? An unerring sense of compassion.


Pressekontakt

North Communication

Romaine Travelletti
T +41 79 580 73 36 
romaine@north-communication.ch


Medienmitteilung

  • Wie ist es möglich, humanitäre Arbeit anders zu fotografieren?
  • Wie erreicht man, dass Bilder der humanitären Arbeit die Betrachtenden berühren?
  • Wie können die langfristigen Folgen einer Krise und die Komplexität der humanitären Arbeit aufgezeigt werden?
  • Entspricht das Bild, das wir uns von der humanitären Arbeit machen, auch tatsächlich der Realität vor Ort?

Vom 19. Oktober 2023 bis 25. August 2024 setzt das Internationale Rotkreuz- und Rothalbmondmuseum seine Überlegungen über die Vorstellung der humanitären Arbeit und die Perspektiven, aus der wir sie betrachten, fort.

Die Ausstellung Human.Kind. zeigt Werke von 30 Fotografinnen und Fotografen, ausgewählt aus dem umfangreichen Spektrum der Teilnehmenden des Prix Pictet, einer der renommiertesten internationalen Auszeichnungen für Fotografie. Die Aufnahmen befassen sich durchaus mit den grossen Herausforderungen der humanitären Arbeit – Konflikte, Klimawandel, psychosoziale Unterstützung oder die Wahrung der Menschenwürde stehen im Mittelpunkt der Bilder –, doch gleichzeitig unterscheiden sie sich von den Fotos über das aktuelle Geschehen, die in den Medien zu sehen sind. Es handelt sich um Dokumentationen, Portraits oder Fotomontagen. Eines ist allen Aufnahmen gemeinsam: Man spürt das Wohlwollen, das die Bilder prägt.

Untersuchung anhand von 3000 zeitgenössischen Fotografien

Die Ausstellung Human.Kind umfasst Werke von 30 Fotografinnen und Fotografen aus 24 Ländern: 15 Männer und 15 Frauen. Alle haben an einem der bisher zehn Zyklen des Prix Pictet teilgenommen. Seit die Auszeichnung im Jahr 2008 geschaffen wurde, widmet sich der Prix Pictet der nachhaltigen Entwicklung. So ist ein Netzwerk aus nahezu 3000 Fotografinnen und Fotografen entstanden, die mitten im Geschehen arbeiten. Ein idealer Fundus also, um einen etwas anderen Blick auf die grossen Herausforderungen der heutigen humanitären Arbeit zu werfen und diese Perspektive hervorzuheben. William A. Ewing, Autor, Redner, ehemaliger Direktor des Musée de l’Élysée und Co-Kurator der Ausstellung, erklärt: «Obwohl man es nicht immer zugeben mag, entsteht ein bedeutender Teil der zeitgenössischen Fotografie aus humanitärem Antrieb. Während der letzten zehn Jahre bildeten das Interesse an den Mitmenschen, die Akzeptanz ihrer häufig tragischen Situation und das daraus entstehende Mitgefühl den Ausgangspunkt für die Ansätze zahlreicher Bewerberinnen und Bewerber des Prix Pictet. Für die Ausstellung hatten wir das Privileg, aus dieser Gruppe von Fotografinnen und Fotografen 30 Portfolios auszuwählen, die mit viel Engagement die grundlegenden Anliegen unserer Zeit erforschen.»

Anhand von fast 300 Aufnahmen widmet sich Human.Kind vielfältigen Themen, vom Ausbruch des Vulkans Taal auf den Philippinen im Jahr 2022 über die bewaffneten Gruppen in der Sahelzone und die Lebensbedingungen der Frauen in den sibirischen Gefängnissen bis hin zum Ausbruch von Covid-19 in Italien. Durch ihren einfühlsamen Ansatz heben die Fotografinnen und Fotografen die Würde der Menschen hervor und laden uns dadurch ein, über unsere gemeinsame Menschlichkeit nachzudenken. Elisa Rusca, Leiterin Sammlungen und Ausstellungen des Museums und Co-Kuratorin der Ausstellung, meint dazu: «Human.Kind präsentiert eine grosse Vielfalt an Blickwinkeln auf die heutige Welt und konzentriert sich auf die Würde und die Fürsorge. Dadurch werden die Fragestellungen und die Werte der humanitären Arbeit auf eine persönliche Ebene gehoben, in der die Gemeinschaft im Zentrum steht.»

Die Ausstellung widmet sich der zeitgenössischen Fotografie und vervollständigt damit den Erforschungsprozess, den das Museum anhand des aussergewöhnlichen fotografischen Erbes der Internationalen Rotkreuz- und Rothalbmondbewegung durchgeführt hat. Ein erster Meilenstein dieses Prozesses bildete 2021 die Ausstellung Eine Welt zum Heilen, die gemeinsam mit den Rencontres internationales de la photographie d’Arles konzipiert wurde und sich aktuell auf Reisen befindet. Für Pascal Hufschmid, Museumsdirektor und Initiator der beiden Ausstellungen, gilt es, die Bilder des aktuellen Geschehens kritisch zu betrachten: «Human.Kind hinterfragt die visuellen Codes der Bilder von humanitärer Arbeit, um unseren Blick angesichts der täglichen Medienflut zu schärfen. Die Ausstellung zeigt auch, wie uns Kunst ermöglichen kann, die Welt, in der wir leben, besser zu verstehen.»

Wie kann ein wohlwollendes Museum aussehen?

Parallel zur Ausstellung veröffentlicht das Museum die Ergebnisse einer Studie, die von Marzia Varutti, Forscherin am fakultätsübergreifenden Zentrum für affektive Wissenschaften (Centre Interfacultaire en Sciences Affectives, CISA) der Universität Genf, durchgeführt wurde. Die Museologin und Kulturhistorikerin beteiligte sich an den Aktivitäten des Themenjahres «Psychische Gesundheit» (2022/2023) des Internationalen Rotkreuz- und Rothalbmondmuseums. Aus ihren Erkenntnissen erstellte sie eine elektronische Broschüre (auf Französisch und Englisch), die auf der Website des Museums abrufbar ist: 10 idées pour un musée bienveillant (10 Ideen für ein wohlwollendes Museum).

In Zusammenarbeit mit dem Architekturbüro Baubüro in situ renoviert das Museum derzeit ausserdem seine Besucherräumlichkeiten, um den Komfort für die Besucherinnen und Besucher zu erhöhen und gleichzeitig die bestehenden Gebäude und die Umwelt zu bewahren. Dazu stützt es sich auf die Prinzipien des zirkulären Bauens. Im Februar 2024 sollen neue Räume für die Öffentlichkeit eingeweiht werden: ein Café, ein Ort für gemeinsames kreatives Schaffen mit den Besucherinnen und Besuchern, ein Shop und ein Vortragssaal.


Introduction

What does it mean to photograph the complex lives of others with empathy and respect, especially when they are living through a humanitarian crisis? Sometimes, photographers are drawn to documenting the vibrant fabric of social ritual, ceremony and celebration. At other times, they are called upon to capture social turmoil, even when the lives of their subjects – and their own lives – are at risk. What does humanitarian photography mean today, and can we image novel perspectives?

Human.Kind. presents 30 series of images by 30 photographers representing 24 different nationalities. What they all have in common, beyond their compassion and empathy, is that they were nominees for the prestigious Prix Pictet photography award at some point during its existence since its inception in 2008. Through their words – we asked them to answer the question, “How does humanitarian action concern us all, here and now?” – and through their work – specific projects or a mix of images across several stories – we explore a more expansive and more generous vision of humanitarian photography, even proposing a new way of thinking about socially engaged photography more broadly.

As historian Rutger Bregman wrote: “It’s time for a new realism. It’s time for a new view of humankind.” We believe that photography can help move that vision forward.


Events

  • Opening event : 18 October 2023, 6pm
  • Afterwork event and guided tour with the curators : 23 November 2023, 6pm | 21 March 2024, 6pm
  • An afternoon with photographer Omar Victor Diop : 27 January 2024, 2pm
  • Solidarity Sundays for families : 5 November | 3 December | 4 February | 3 March | 7 April
  • Pressetage: 17. und 18. Oktober 2023 in Anwesenheit der Fotografinnen und Fotografen

Photographers

How does humanitarian action affect us all, here and now?

  • Charles Fréger

    1975, Bourges, France

“Caring for others, helping people – these aren’t things that can be outsourced to technology. Humanitarian action allows us to do more together than we could ever achieve alone.”

Since 2010, Charles Fréger has produced four books focusing on traditional clothing and uniforms worn in different parts of the world: Wilder Mann, (Europe, 2010–present), Yokainoshima (Japan, 2013–2015), Cimarron (Americas, 2014–2018) and Aam Aastha (India, 2019–2022). His works seek to look behind the masks, revealing facets of our relationship with our own kind.

Starting in the early 2000s, Charles Fréger has developed a collection of “Photographic and Uniform Portraits” that, together, serve as an encyclopaedic inventory of the world’s communities. He lives in Rouen, France.

 

  • Subrata Biswas

    1982, Kolkata, India

“Responsible and conscious humanitarian action without discrimination solves problems, combats injustice and builds a more compassionate, inclusive world for humankind.”

Subrata Biswas's rich photojournalistic work is shown here through four series: Muzaffarnagar Riots (2013) bears witness to communal riots between Muslims and Hindus; Coal Trap (2013) presents the direct consequences of unregulated coal mining in Chhattisgarh ; malnutrition associated with consecutive crop failures due to climate change is at the heart of Hard Lives of Sahariyas (2014); Brave-Heart Girl Lit a Flame (2012) documents the wave of outrage and protests across the country following the gang rape of a 23-year-old woman during a bus ride in New Delhi.

Subrata Biswas is an independent photojournalist focusing on human rights, social and cultural anthropology, and the impact of climate change. He is currently based in Kolkata.

 

  • Nanna Heitmann

    1994, Ulm, Germany

“We live in a globalized world, in a time of climate change and conflict. It is our responsibility not to close our eyes to what is happening in the world and around us.”

Nanna Heitmann has documented the effects of climate change, such as catastrophic forest fires and melting permafrost in Siberia (As Frozen Lands Burn). Her work often deals with issues of isolation – physical, social and spiritual. In Hiding from Baba Yaga, a project whose title was inspired by the witch of Slavic folklore, Heitmann followed the Yenisei – one of the world’s longest rivers – from Tuva Republic northwards through Siberia, photographing the lives of people living on the river’s remote banks. Her gaze conveys the dignity and humanity of these people and allows the viewer to look at them with curiosity and empathy. 

Nanna Heitmann, who is based in Moscow, studied photojournalism and documentary photography at the University of Hanover in Germany. She joined Magnum Photos as a nominee in 2019.

 

  • Etinosa Yvonne

    1989, Sokoto, Nigeria

“A problem-free world is not assured, but our collective action or inaction determines how the problems affect us and their victims.”

In many communities throughout Africa, houses made from earthen materials have existed since time immemorial. In her recent wanderings across different countries, Etinosa Yvonne has observed that, while the vast majority of these houses might appear visually similar, their style, functionality and history differ. Her ongoing series Ode to Mud is both a celebration and a catalogue of this traditional architecture, aiming to highlight its richness and diversity. The uniqueness of each house is emphasized by the digital manipulation of the image: with the background taken away, the houses seem to float in colours.

Etinosa Yvonne is a self-taught documentary photographer and visual artist born and brought up in Nigeria. She works with various art forms including photos and videos. She is based in Abuja, Nigeria.

 

  • Peter van Agtmael

    1981, Washington D.C., USA

“I’ve covered many conflicts and disasters, and humanitarian action is often the difference between life and death.”

About the Family series, van Agtmael says: “The most important thing I’ve learned from photography is that every moment is of potential beauty and significance. I’ve taken pictures of my family since I picked up a camera. Casually at first, but with seriousness as ageing, illness and death became inescapable. Photographs are a futile but powerful way to try and stop time. But eventually every picture becomes a ghost.”

Peter van Agtmael is a Magnum photographer focusing on the influence and consequences of American power at home and abroad. He is based in New York and Paris.

 

  • Ezra Acayan

    1993, Manila, Philippines

“Issues like climate change, wealth inequality and political unrest aren’t confined by geographical boundaries. They affect us all. Witnessing these efforts reminds us of our shared responsibilities and interconnectedness.”

Taal Volcano, on the island of Luzon in the Philippines, began erupting on 12 January 2020, spewing ash up to 14 kilometres into the air. The resulting ashfalls and volcanic thunderstorms led to forced evacuations from the surrounding area. Nearly 750,000 people were affected by the eruption. Damage caused to infrastructure and livelihoods, such as farming, fishing and tourism, was estimated at around $70 million.

Ezra Acayan is a photojournalist based in the Philippines. He has a decade of experience with numerous international agencies and regularly works on assignment for Getty Images.

 

  • Rena Effendi

    1977, Baku, Azerbaijan

“I use photography as a language to communicate humanitarian concerns. I believe it has the power to inspire social change.”

Khinaliq is Azerbaijan’s highest inhabited village. Because of its remote location, the community has managed to preserve its ancient way of life. There is no running water other than the nearby stream, and no gas other than the natural fires sprouting from the mountains. The village is home to around 1,000 shepherd families, which speak the unique and endangered Khinalug language.

Rena Effendi, based in Istanbul, is an award-winning documentary photographer, National Geographic explorer, writer and filmmaker. She is the author of two monographs.

 

  • Nermine Hammam

    1967, Cairo, Egypt

“As a female photographer, I entered this traditionally male-dominated space, camera in hand, inverting conventional power relationships to ‘shoot’ the soldiers.”

The series Unfolding (2012) is about universal youth and the harshness and inhumanity of sending young men to war. It was inspired by propaganda posters from the 1940s and 1950s depicting strong figures in idealized settings. The photographic material collected from public sources, mixed with Japanese-inspired backgrounds, emphasizes the discordant presence of armed men among civilians in Tahrir square: men of war in a paradise.

Nermina Hammam photographs the world and then digitally alters the images to create intricate composites, a form of personal tapestry. She lives and works between Cairo and London.

 

  • Myriam Boulos

    1992, Beirut, Lebanon

“As a Lebanese photographer, I believe that giving space to personal stories is an act of resistance, and that defying the traditional ways of representing our region is a way of reclaiming what’s ours.”

This selection of recent works portrays the photographer’s friends and family, and her city’s society, with energy and intimacy. From protests against corruption and government austerity to those held in the wake of the devastating port explosion in the summer of 2020, the personal and the political intermingle in a contrasting and complex universe.

Myriam Boulos joined Magnum Photos as a nominee in 2021. She lives and works in Beirut.

 

  • Alinka Echeverría

    1981, Mexico City, Mexico

“Helping those in need is an intrinsic part of our humanity. Caring for our fellow humans is integral to our global community.”

The Road to Tepeyac consists of over 100 images of devout Mexican pilgrims carrying their personal image of the Virgin of Guadalupe on the anniversary of her apparition in 1531. The work, consisting of multiple representations of the sacred image, provides a kaleidoscopic experience while at the same time deconstructing the historical, political, philosophical, psychological and anthropological relationship between an invisible presence and its materialized expression.

Alinka Echeverría is a Mexican-British artist working in multiple media. She holds a master’s degree in social anthropology and development from the University of Edinburgh (2004) and a postgraduate degree in photography from the International Center of Photography in New York (2008).

 

  • Elena Anosova

    1983, Irkutsk, Russia

“I’m a humanist and I’m an artist. For me, it’s very important to ask someone’s permission before photographing them. I’m very grateful to all my subjects: while I’m taking their picture, they don’t stop being daughters, mothers, teachers.”

The topics Elena Anosova works with include borders, identity and collective memory. Section is part of a trilogy centred around the lives of women in closed institutions in Russia. The series focuses on fragments of the private and the intimate in the microcosm of prisons, drawing attention to the fact that these women need to be rehabilitated after they are released and will require help reintegrating into society.

Elena’s work has been published globally, including National Geographic, Marie Claire, The New Yorker and others. She lives in Moscow.

 

  • Emin Özmen

    1985, Sivas, Türkiye

“My aim is to bring attention to the suffering of victims of civil unrest and social injustice in my home country and around the world. Olay reflects my state of mind, how I feel as a Turk. It’s like experiencing thwarted love.”

“Olay”, meaning “incident” or “event” in Turkish, is a chronicle that reflects what Türkiye has been going through for a decade: a dizzying succession of dramatic and stressful events, a constant oscillation between moments of violence and moments of grace. As a homage to his fellow citizens “who suffer and resist in silence”, Özmen depicts a universe in which nothing is simple, and where everything is intermingled and confronted – the beautiful as well as the ugly, sadness as well as joy.

Emin Özmen obtained a degree in documentary photography from the University of Art and Design Linz in 2008 and joined Magnum Photos in 2017. He currently lives in Istanbul.

 

  • Xiaoxiao Xu

    1984, Qingtian, China

“I believe in protecting life, helping people and ensuring respect for human beings. We need to stick together and become stronger as a whole.”

This series revolves around Shehuo, a traditional Chinese festival involving folk art performed across rural north-western China. Its origins can be traced back to the Zhou dynasty (c. 1046–256 BC). “She” means “God of the Land” and “huo” means “fire”: the fire expels evil spirits from the land, after which the God of the Land brings blessings. Through theatrical performances, songs and acrobatics, farmers invoked blessings for an abundant and fruitful harvest.

Xiaoxiao Xu has been based in the Netherlands since 1999 and currently lives in Utrecht. She graduated with honours from the Photo Academy Amsterdam. Her book Shooting the Tiger was shortlisted for the 2023 Book Awards of Les Rencontres d’Arles.

 

  • Adriana Zehbrauskas

    1968, São Paolo, Brazil

 

“Now more than ever, working together as a community is of the utmost importance if we are to tackle the huge issues facing humankind and the planet itself.”

After a lifetime spent working the brutal streets of Mexico City, former sex workers were destitute and alone, with nowhere to go. When Carmen Muñoz, a one-time prostitute, discovered some of her former colleagues sleeping under cardboard in La Merced, a popular red-light district nearby, she decided to take them in and began looking for allies. A group of prominent Mexican feminists offered to help, and with private and public money – plus a building provided rent-free by the Mexico City mayor’s office – they founded Casa Xochiquetzal, named after the Aztec goddess of beauty and sexual love. Open since 2006, the place is a haven where older prostitutes rescued from the streets can live with dignity.

Adriana Zehbrauskas is a photojournalist whose life-long practice has focused on issues such as migration, religion, human rights, underrepresented communities, and violence linked to the drug trade in Mexico and elsewhere in Central and South America. She is based in Phoenix, Arizona.

 

  • Maciek Nabrdalik

    1980, Częstochowa, Poland

“While not everyone may be ready for hands-on humanitarian work, fostering an empathetic and kind community should be a shared obligation.”

The Irreversible is a collection of 42 portraits and reflections from Nazi camp survivors. The project started with an assignment for Smithsonian magazine about conservation efforts at Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum. It features the experiences, thoughts and feelings of people of various nationalities and religious creeds, who were imprisoned for different reasons. 

Maciek Nabrdalik is a Warsaw-based documentary photographer and member of the VII Photo Agency. His primary focus is on sociological changes in Eastern Europe.

 

  • Muzaffar Salman

    1976, Homs, Syria

“We have no alternative. Humanitarian action is a significant factor in the development of civilizations, despite the contemporary spirit leading us to think otherwise.”

After a difficult journey, Muzaffar Salman arrived in Aleppo in 2013 with the intention of capturing the war. He suddenly found himself searching for moments of life instead of fragments of death. Aleppo Diaries is a collection of images interrogating that driving force that pushes humans to hold on to life and resist surrender.

Muzaffar Salman is a visual storyteller and former freelancer for the Associated Press and Reuters. He is currently a photojournalism trainer at Media in Cooperation and Transition in Berlin. He is based in Rouen, France.

 

  • Carlo Valsecchi

    1965, Brescia, Italy

“We study the past to try to understand the present and imagine the future.”

Bellum follows the traces of an ancestral conflict between man and nature and between man and man, while also looking at the use of nature as a defence against “the other” and at man’s defence against nature. The scene of this tragic encounter is mountainous northern Italy, where the nation’s soldiers fought the Austro-Hungarians in a savage campaign.

Carlo Valsecchi has engaged in many extensive documentary projects over the years, involving major museum exhibitions. Bellum was recently shown at the Collezione Maramotti, in Reggio Emilia, and published in book form by Silvana Editoriale, Milan. Valsecchi lives in Milan.

 

  • Omar Victor Diop

    1980, Dakar, Senegal

“My intention is to show the struggle of my people, their moments of pride, their altruism, their incredible diversity and their capacity to adapt.”

Omar Victor Diop’s work connects the history and modernity of African societies, whether by sublimating their lifestyles or colouring their self-image. For his series Diaspora (2014), Diop produced staged portraits of himself representing notable African figures from history. The series Liberty (2017) evokes and juxtaposes key moments of Black protests. While these events are distinct in time, geography and scope, Diop places them in a common chronology – that of a quest for freedom that is too often scorned. These representations are a tribute to those who aspire to freedom and dignity.

After graduating from the Ecole Supérieure de Commerce de Paris, Omar Victor Diop first worked for British American Tobacco in Africa. In 2011, he abandoned corporate communications to devote himself fully to his career as an artist. He lives and works in Paris and Dakar.

 

  • Emmanuelle Andrianjafy

    1983, Antananarivo, Madagascar

“We are not dealt the same cards. At any scale, I believe it is kindness to listen to and help one another.”

Emmanuelle Andrianjafy relocated to Senegal in 2011. The series Finding Dakar, which recounts her discoveries of her new city during long walks, captures her initial explorations of the Senegalese capital and reflects a personal early experience with photography. 

An engineer-turned-photographer, Emmanuelle Andrianjafy has lived in France and Senegal, and is currently based in Kenya. Her project Nothing’s in Vain was the winner of the MACK First Book Award and the Contemporary African Photography Prize in 2017 and was a finalist for the Aperture Portfolio Prize that same year. Her work was shown at the Rencontres de la photographie d’Arles in 2021.

 

  • Mila Teshaieva,

    1974, Kyiv, Ukraine

“Witnessing the current war in Ukraine firsthand, I realize how important it is for people living through the crisis to feel that the outside world is responding to their needs.”

In InselWesen, the figures appear as if in a dream world. These are inhabitants of Föhr, in the North Frisian Islands. The artist has portrayed them in an elaborate staging of their homes and places of work under the darkness of night, using the venerable technique of light painting. The solitude of the island helps to preserve traditions and bonds with nature. But as the island tries to protect its unique identity from assimilation and disappearance, its future is uncertain and fragile.

Mila Teshaieva is a Ukrainian artist whose work focuses on themes of memory and identity. Her work has been exhibited at the MIT Museum, Boston, and the Museum of European Cultures, Berlin, as well as in many other museum shows. InselWesen was published in 2016. She lives in Berlin.

 

  • Lynsey Addario

    1973, Connecticut, United States of America

“Watching uprisings unfold and people fight to the death for their freedom, I understand that I am documenting not only news but also the fate of societies.”

Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist and MacArthur Fellow Lynsey Addario has spent the last two decades bearing witness to the world’s most urgent humanitarian and human rights crises. Travelling to the most dangerous and remote corners to document crucial moments, such as Afghanistan under the Taliban immediately before and after the 9/11 attacks, Iraq following the US-led invasion and dismantlement of Saddam Hussein’s government, and western Sudan in the aftermath of the genocide in Darfur, she has captured through her photographs visual testimony not only of war and injustice but also of humanity, dignity and resilience.

Lynsey Addario has been covering conflict, humanitarian crises and women’s issues around the Middle East and Africa on assignment for The New York Times and National Geographic for more than two decades.

 

  • Gideon Mendel

    1959, Johannesburg, South Africa

“As our climate emergency becomes viscerally evident with an unprecedented increase in wildfires and floods, humanitarian action is climate action.”

Since the start of 2020, I have travelled to Australia, Canada, Greece and the United States of America documenting the aftermath of fires that destroyed homes, killed numerous people and burned millions of acres of land. All these areas had experienced some of their highest temperatures ever recorded, precipitating these infernos.

Gideon Mendel has been documenting the impacts of climate change with his Drowning World and Burning World projects since 2007. He lives in London.

 

  • Alex Majoli

    1971, Ravenna, Italy

“Walter Benjamin said: ‘There is no document of civilization that is not at the same time a document of barbarism’. We must keep experimenting with truth, because only through such an experiment can we create understanding and, therefore, compassion.”

Alex Majoli’s work explores this idea of people as actors in their own lives. Majoli notes: “Nothing was like before the COVID-19 pandemic and nothing will be the same after. During the pandemic, reality surpassed imagination and everyone found themselves in roles we would not have thought of. I tried to scrutinize the human soul confronting an invisible evil.”

Alex Majoli graduated from the Art Institute in Ravenna in 1991 and joined Magnum Photos in 2001. He documents various conflicts worldwide for Newsweek, The New York Times Magazine, Granta and National Geographic. He is based in New York, Amsterdam and Sicily.

 

  • Tomoko Kikuchi

    1973, Tokyo, Japan

“Humanitarian action has an impact on our awareness and behaviour. It prevents us from taking part in evil through our apathy.”

The photographic series I and I portrays members of the LGBTQ community, especially drag queen performers, in China in the early 21st century. It captures the various and changing living conditions and life experiences of people on the fringes of society coming to terms with their sexuality. 

Tomoko Kikuchi won the Kimura Ihei Award (2012) and the inaugural Prix Pictet Japan Award (2015). Her works are included in the collections of the Mori Art Museum, the Tokyo Photographic Art Museum. She currently lives in Kanagawa, Japan.

 

  • Luisa Dörr

    1988, Lajeado, Brazil

“Humanitarian action can take place anywhere and at any time. It is especially relevant today, when we get real-time information about every situation happening across the planet. Not to take action is to be a part of the problem.”

The series Imilla (2021) is named for the word that means “young girl” in the native Aymara and Quechua languages. It focuses on the ImillaSkate collective, who wear “polleras” – bulky skirts imposed on the native population by Spanish conquerors in the 16th century and commonly associated with indigenous women from the highlands. In Falleras (2018), Dörr explores Las Fallas, a street festival in Valencia and one of the biggest of its kind in Spain. Inspired by clothes worn centuries ago by women working in rice fields around the city, the dresses have changed over time and are now elaborate, expensive creations.

Dörr's photographs have been published in TIME, National Geographic, The New York Times, and Wired, among others. She currently lives in Bahia.

 

  • Andrew Esiebo

    1978, Lagos, Nigeria

“I strongly believe in photography’s power to catalyse humanitarian action, granting a voice, dignity and humanity to vulnerable individuals. Here and now, humanitarian action is everyone’s responsibility.”

The Who We Are series deconstructs stereotypical approaches to heteronormativity. Through intimate portraits of homosexual men in everyday settings, the series explores love, desires, aspirations and compassion. It highlights the unique aggressions faced by these subjects in African societies in an attempt to foster understanding and promote debates on sexual complexities and diversities.

Andrew Esiebo’s works delve into social issues, cultural diversity and identity. They have been published in National Geographic, The New York Times, Courrier International, CNN African Voices and The Financial Times, among others. He currently lives in Nigeria.

 

  • Philippe Dudouit

    1977, Lausanne, Switzerland

Even before he picks up his camera, Philippe Dudouit conducts in-depth historical, geopolitical and cartographic research and analysis. His work forms a long-term study of the sociopolitical evolution of the Sahelo-Saharan region since 2008 – an area that now faces a dangerous cocktail of underdevelopment, poverty and state failure.

Philippe Dudouit is a documentary photographer and filmmaker based in Lausanne, Switzerland. 

His study of the Sahelo-Saharan region was published in 2019 by Edition Patrick Frey as The Dynamics of Dust.

 

  • Huang Qingjun

    1971, Daqing, China

“Humanitarian actions allow artists to better create thought-provoking works.”

Qingjun Huang has been working on the Family Stuff series and sub-series for 20 years. For Online Shopping Family Stuff, he visited cities and remote areas in China, asking people to take out everything they had ever bought online. He then photographed them together with the items they had purchased, in a pointed reminder of the incredible reach of the internet and how that invisible, global network influences people’s lives.

Qingjun Huang is a freelance photographer currently based in the United States of America. He was a winner at the 2020 Tokyo International Foto Awards and the 2015 China International Press Photo Contest, and was a finalist in the London International Creative Competition 2015. He has been published in The New York Times, Bloomberg and Wired, among others.

 

  • Evgenia Arbugaeva

    1985, Tiksi, Russia

“Observing people living in the harsh northern environment has taught me that we can only survive if we are there for each other.”

Evgenia Arbugaeva grew up in Tiksi, a seaport town on the shore of the Laptev Sea. In her personal work, she often looks to her homeland – the Arctic – to discover and document remote worlds and the people who inhabit them. Hyperborea is a series of four stories from the Siberian shores of the Arctic Ocean: a remote weather station in the polar night, an abandoned town illuminated by the aurora borealis, a lighthouse in a winter storm, and the mysterious land of the indigenous Chukchi community.

Evgenia Arbugaeva is a National Geographic Society Storytelling Fellow. Her work has been exhibited internationally and has appeared in publications such as National Geographic, Time and The New Yorker, among others. She lives in London.

 

  • Jeroen Hofman

    1976, Helmond, Netherlands

“The world is changing at a rapid pace. Climate change and endless wars will affect us all. A coordinated, rapid response is of the utmost importance.”

In Park (2018), Jeroen Hofman documented communal spaces and how we share them. Parks are of tremendous importance to almost every city. As well as functioning as collective backyards for otherwise cramped-for-space urban inhabitants, they also cater to many of their other needs, such as sports, recreation and nature. With people from many different cultural backgrounds and different generations using them for a myriad of activities, the city’s parks are colourful mosaics.

Jeroen Hofman studied photography at the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague. He currently lives in Amsterdam. He has won several awards and prizes, including the Silver Camera Award twice – once for his work Playground (2011) and again, in 2014, for his portrait of Dutch dancer and choreographer Hans van Manen.


Über den Prix Pictet

Der Prix Pictet hat sich zum Ziel gesetzt, die Kraft von Fotografien aller Genres zu nutzen, um auf die Herausforderungen der Nachhaltigkeit, insbesondere im Zusammenhang mit der Umwelt, hinzuweisen. Er wurde 2008 von der Pictet-Gruppe ins Leben gerufen und hat sich inzwischen zum weltweit führenden Preis für Fotografie und Nachhaltigkeit entwickelt. Jeder der bisher neun Zyklen war einem spezifischen Nachhaltigkeitsaspekt gewidmet. Der Name der Gewinnerin oder des Gewinners des zehnten Zyklus zum Thema HUMAN wird Ende September bekannt gegeben.

www.prix.pictet.com

 


Credits

Curators : William A. Ewing and Elisa Rusca

Head of projet : Pascal Hufschmid

Eine Produktion des Internationalen Rotkreuz- und Rothalbmondmuseums in Zusammenarbeit mit dem Prix Pictet


Ressourcen der Ausstellung

Human.Kind poster © Enen Studio , Photograph © Ezra Acayan

© Elena Anosova. This is Olga, 27 years old. She’s in a prison colony for first-time offenders, sentenced to 5 years. From the series Section (2014).

© Elena Anosova. This is Anna, born in 1980. She’s in a prison colony for first-time offenders, sentenced to 5 years. She has four daughters. From the series Section (2014).

© Luisa Dörr. La Cancha Market, Cochabamba, Bolivia. From the series Imilla (2021).

© Luisa Dörr. SENAC skate park, Cochabamba, Bolivia. From the series Imilla (2021).

© Luisa Dörr. Pariumani Park Entrance, Bolivia. From the series Imilla, 2021.

© Rena Effendi. Sadaget bakes bread in a tadoor oven at home. From the series Khinaliq Village (2006).

© Rena Effendi. Yegana and her sister-in-law at home. From the series Khinaliq Village (2006).

© Rena Effendi. Mariyam, Hamida, Samir and Izzet play next to their mother Vulalya in the hills of Khinaliq village. From the series Khinaliq Village, 2006.

© Andrew Esiebo. From the series Who we are (2010).

© Andrew Esiebo. From the series Who we are (2010).

© Andrew Esiebo. From the series Who we are (2010).

© Jeroen Hofman. Kralingse Plas, Rotterdam Park. From the series Park (2017).

© Jeroen Hofman. Bloesempark, Amsterdam Park. From the series Park (2018).

© Jeroen Hofman. Westerpark. From the series Amsterdam Park, 2014

© Muzaffar Salman. From the series Aleppo Point Zero, Aleppo, Syria (2013).

© Muzaffar Salman. From the series Aleppo Point Zero, Aleppo, Syria (2013).

© Muzaffar Salman. From the series Aleppo Point Zero, Aleppo, Syria (2013).

© Subrata Biswas. The village is home to almost 100 families of the Sahariya tribe, one of the 75 Scheduled Tribes in the country classified as Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups. From the series Hard lives of Sahariyas (2014).

© Subrata Biswas. From the series Brave-heart girl lit a flame (2012).

© Subrata Biswas. From the series Brave-heart girl lit a flame (2012).

© Etinosa Yvonne. Zing, from the series Ode to Mud (2022).

© Etinosa Yvonne. Kwale, from the series Ode to Mud (2022).

© Etinosa Yvonne. Akwanga, from the series Ode to Mud, 2022.

© Adriana Zehbrauskas. Angie, from the series Casa Xochiquetzal (2018).

© Adriana Zehbrauskas. Norma, from the series Casa Xochiquetzal (2018).

© Adriana Zehbrauskas. Angie, from the series Casa Xochiquetzal, 2018

© Carlo Valsecchi. #01135 Rotzo, Vicenza, Italy, from the series Bellum (2021). Collezione Maramotti, Reggio Emilia.

© Carlo Valsecchi. #01130 Asiago, Vicenza, Italy, from the series Bellum, 2020 Collezione Maramotti, Reggio Emilia

© Carlo Valsecchi. #01166 Asiago, Vicenza, Italy, from the series Bellum, 2020 Private collection, Switzerland

© Alinka Echeverría. The Road to Tepeyac #136 (2010).

© Alinka Echeverría. The Road to Tepeyac #67, 2010.

© Alinka Echeverría. The Road to Tepeyac #56, 2010.

© Mila Teshaieva. Doubts, Föhr Island. From the series InselWesen 2014.

© Mila Teshaieva. The hat is off, Föhr Island. From the series InselWesen, 2015.

© Mila Teshaieva. Lynn and Jonny, Föhr Island. From the series InselWesen, 2014.

© Emmanuelle Andrianjafy. From the series Finding Dakar (2014).

© Emmanuelle Andrianjafy. From the series Finding Dakar (2014).

© Emmanuelle Andrianjafy. From the series Finding Dakar (2014).

© Philippe Dudouit. Migrants abandonnés, Northern Niger. From the series The Dynamics of Dust (2010).

© Philippe Dudouit. Young Refugee from the Timbuktu Arab Community, Fassala, Mauritania. From the series The Dynamics of Dust, 2012.

© Philippe Dudouit. Democratic Alliance for Change (ADC) Combatant, Northern Mali. From the series The Dynamics of Dust, 2008.

© Xiaoxiao Xu. From the series Shooting the Tiger (2014).

© Xiaoxiao Xu. From the series Shooting the Tiger (2014).

© Xiaoxiao Xu. From the series Shooting the Tiger (2014).

© Charles Fréger. Maya Yakshi Kolam, Kolam Thullal, Kadammanitta Village, Pathanamthitta, Kerala, India. From the series Aam Aastha, 2019–2022

© Charles Fréger. Diablico Pariteño, Parita, Herrera, Panama. From the series Cimarron, 2014–2018

© Charles Fréger. Babugeri, Bansko, Bulgaria. From the series Wilder Mann, 2010–present.

© Lynsey Addario. Firefighters with Cal Fire conduct an operation to contain the Dixie fire south of Highway 44 in Lassen National Forest, in California, on August 27, 2021.

© Lynsey Addario. U.S. troops carry the body of Staff Sgt. Larry Rougle, who was killed when Taliban insurgents ambushed their squad in the Korengal Valley, Afghanistan, October 2007.

© Maciek Nabrdalik. Maria Brzęcka-Kosk. From the Series The Irreversible, 2009-2013

© Maciek Nabrdalik. Niusia Horowitz-Karakulska. From the Series The Irreversible, 2009-2013

© Maciek Nabrdalik. Paul Halter. From the Series The Irreversible, 2009-2013.

© Gideon Mendel. The Montagner Family (Fina, Anthony, Christian and Dylan), Upper Brogo, New South Wales, Australia. From the series Portraits in Ash, 18 January 2020

© Gideon Mendel. Australie. From the series Burnt Textures, January 2020

© Ezra Acayan Residents look on as Taal Volcano erupts, in Talisay, Batangas Province, Philippines, 12 January 2020 Courtesy of the artist and Getty Images

© Ezra Acayan Lightning strikes as a column of ash surrounds the crater of Taal Volcano while it erupts, as seen from Tagaytay, Cavite Province, Philippines, 12 January 2020 Courtesy of the artist and Getty Images

© Ezra Acayan Residents clean rooftops of volcanic ash from the eruption of Taal Volcano, in Laurel, Batangas Province, Philippines, 14 January 2020 Courtesy of the artist and Getty Images

© Omar Victor Diop Trayvon Martin, 2012, from the series Liberty, 2016. Courtesy of the artist and Magnin-A Gallery.

© Omar Victor Diop Les Cheminots du Dakar – Niger, 1938 et 1947, from the series Liberty, 2016. Courtesy of the artist and Magnin-A Gallery.

© Omar Victor Diop Nanny et Quao, 1720, from the series Liberty, 2016. Courtesy of the artist and Magnin-A Gallery.

© Evgenia Arbugaeva From the series Weather Man, Hyperborea. Stories from the Arctic, 2014–2019.

© Evgenia Arbugaeva From the series Kanin Nos, Hyperborea. Stories from the Arctic, 2014–2019.

© Evgenia Arbugaeva From the series Chukotka, Hyperborea. Stories from the Arctic, 2014–2019.

© Qingjun Huang Jia Yuhao and Lu Xuefeng. From the series Online Shopping Family Stuff, 2015.

© Qingjun Huang Aer Yingming and her family. From the series Online Shopping Family Stuff, 2015.

© Qingjun Huang Li Nian. From the series Online Shopping Family Stuff, 2014.

© Nermine Hammam Hibiscus, from the series Unfolding, 2012.

© Nermine Hammam Escalate, from the series Unfolding, 2012.

© Nermine Hammam Hitch-hiking, from the series Unfolding, 2012.

Exhibition view with co-curator Elisa Rusca. © Zoé Aubry

Exhibition view with images by : Nanna Heitmann and Peter Van Agtmael (courtesy of the artists and Magnum Photos). © Zoé Aubry

Exhibition view with images by : Emin Ozmen, Alinka Echeverria, Myriam Boulos (courtesy of the artist and Magnum Photos) and Elena Anosova. © Zoé Aubry

Exhibition view with images by : Elena Anosova. © Zoé Aubry

Exhibition view with images by : Nanna Heitmann (courtesy of the artists and Magnum Photos) and Charles Freger. © Zoé Aubry

Exhibition view with images by : Ezra Acayan. © Zoé Aubry

Exhibition view with images by : Peter Van Agtmael (courtesy of the artist and Magnum Photos) and Etinosa Yvonne Osayimwen. © Zoé Aubry

Exhibition view with images by : Rena Effendi and Peter Van Agtmael (courtesy of the artist and Magnum Photos). © Zoé Aubry

Exhibition view with images by : Nermine Hammam. © Zoé Aubry

Exhibition view with images by : Myriam Boulos. © Zoé Aubry

Exhibition view with images by : Alinka Echeverria. © Zoé Aubry

Exhibition view with images by : Emin Ozmen (courtesy of the artist and Magnum Photos) and Adriana Zehbrauskas. © Zoé Aubry

Exhibition view with images by : Maciek Nabrdalik and Elena Anosova. © Zoé Aubry

Exhibition view with images by : Maciek Nabrdalik. © Zoé Aubry

Exhibition view with images by : Emin Ozmen (courtesy of the artist and Magnum Photos) and Adriana Zehbrauskas. © Zoé Aubry

Exhibition view with images by : Emmanuelle Andrianjafy and Luisa Dörr. © Zoé Aubry

Exhibition view with images by : Emmanuelle Andrianjafy, Lynsey Addario and Luisa Dörr. © Zoé Aubry

Exhibition view with images by : Lynsey Addario. © Zoé Aubry

Exhibition view with images by : Subrata Biswas. © Zoé Aubry

Exhibition view with images by : Subrata Biswas. © Zoé Aubry

Exhibition view with images by : Qingjun Huang. © Zoé Aubry

Exhibition view with images by : Philippe Dudouit. © Zoé Aubry

Exhibition view with images by : Mila Teschaieva, Alex Majoli (courtesy of the artist and Magnum Photos) and Carlo Valsecchi. © Zoé Aubry

Exhibition view with images by : Jeroen Hofman. © Zoé Aubry

Exhibition view with images by : Evgenia Arbugaeva. © Zoé Aubry

Exhibition view with images by : Andrew Esiebo, Qingjun Huang, Alex Majoli (courtesy of the artist and Magnum Photos) and Carlo Valsecchi. © Zoé Aubry

Exhibition view with images by : Xiaoxiao Xu and Luisa Dörr. © Zoé Aubry

Exhibition view with images by : Xiaoxiao Xu and Maciek Nabrdalik. © Zoé Aubry

Exhibition view with images by : Xiaoxiao Xu, Muzzafar Salman, Omar Victor Diop and Adriana Zehbrauskas. © Zoé Aubry

Exhibition view with images by : Muzzafar Salman. © Zoé Aubry

Exhibition view with images by : Qingjun Huang and Andrew Esiebo © Zoé Aubry



Annual theme

Digital Dilemmas to guide the Museum’s 2023–2024 programming

The international Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum has selected “digital dilemmas” as the guiding theme for the coming year. Alongside numerous partners from the world of humanitarian action, culture and research, the Museum will explore ideas and techniques that can be applied to to day-to-day life. For its forthcoming programming cycle, it will hold a series of events on digital dilemmas, curated by Valérie Gorin, from the Geneva Center of Humanitarian studies, and Oonagh Murphy, from Goldsmith University.

The launch of the Year of “digital dilemmas” coincides with the publication of “10 ideas for a caring Museum”, a compendium of the lessons learned from the Museum’s Year of Mental Health (2022-2023). The document, published online and written by Marzia Varutti, is the second toolkit we published.


Press release

The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum launches a new thematic cycle dedicated to Digital Dilemmas. Inaugurated with a lecture by Geneva artist Marta Revuelta on December 5, 2023, this new thematic focus for the museum's programming is the result of a collaboration with our partners in the humanitarian, cultural and research fields.

Following the "Mental Health" theme year in 2022-23 and "Gender and Diversity" in 2021-22, the Museum's ambition remains to explore innovative ideas applicable to our daily lives in relation to major societal concerns. This new programming cycle is under the direction of Valérie Gorin, from the Geneva Centre for Humanitarian Studies, and Dr. Oonagh Murphy, Senior Lecturer in Digital Culture and Society at Goldsmiths University, London, and a recognized expert in artificial intelligence and museology. On the program: five thematic meetings featuring contemporary artists and inspiring specialists working at the crossroads of the humanitarian, technological and museum sectors.

In the humanitarian field, as in our daily lives, digital transformation has progressed rapidly in recent years: the technologization of humanitarian hubs; innovations in the delivery of urgent assistance; the use of biometric data, artificial intelligence or telemedicine to map as well as respond effectively to the increasing number of crises and disasters that characterize our times... The wide variety of digital devices and the enthusiasm they arouse must not obscure the major ethical and security challenges that accompany them, particularly when it comes to protecting vulnerable populations.

What are the digital risks associated with cybersecurity and data protection? How do these innovations affect the human relationship at the heart of humanitarian aid? To what extent do these transformations call into question the inclusion and rights of the populations concerned?

Afin d’esquisser des réponses à ces enjeux contemporains dans le cadre d’un dialogue avec ses publics et ses partenaires, le Musée international de la Croix-Rouge et du Croissant-Rouge s’affirme comme un espace de réflexion, de création collective et de débat ouvert. L’année thématique permet ainsi d’axer la programmation du Musée – à travers ses expositions, événements, publications et productions digitales – en posture d’apprentissage mutuel. Chaque exercice thématique est clôturé par la publication d’une « boite à outils » orientée sur la pratique, à destination des professionnel.le.s du monde muséal, académique et humanitaire, afin de contribuer à transformer ces multiples savoirs en savoir-faire.


Programming

At the heart of our annual program is a cycle of multidisciplinary encounters led by Valérie Gorin, from Geneva's Centre d'études humanitaires.

 

  • DECEMBER 5, 2023, 6-8:30PM - INAUGURAL WORKSHOP

With Geneva artist MARTA REVUELTA and designer DOROTA GRAJEWSKA

The "Synthetic Data" workshop, by Geneva-based artist Marta Revuelta and photographer and designer Dorota Grajewska, explores a paradigm shift in the field of machine learning - where AI could redefine our digital or "synthetic" reality with fictitious data, raising the question of the exponential increase in biases inherent in data sets and its potentially harmful consequences in our understanding of contemporary conflicts.

Over 18s, limited to 25 people.

Free, registration required.

 

  • JANUARY 23, 2024 -DATA POWER AGENCY

With ALEXANDRE BARCLAY, CASSIE SEO & JOHN BRYANT

 

How much agency do beneficiary populations really have in terms of access to new technologies? Whether it's access to the Internet and electricity in crisis situations - or, conversely, the unbridled use of the latest technologies, such as biometrics, as a condition for granting humanitarian aid, the most vulnerable populations sometimes find themselves doubly pressurized - in both the physical and digital worlds. Between techno-colonialism, the politics of access and digital practices, this conference will give its audience the tools to ask themselves more questions and exercise a healthy curiosity about the technologies we intuitively mobilize on a daily basis.

 

Ages 18 and up.

Admission: 9.00

 

  • MARCH 5, 2024 - TECH FOR GOOD?

With JULIA JANICKI, Center for Humanitarian Data

 

A specialist in data journalism and data storytelling, Julia Janicki tackles powerful issues through powerful visualizations. She will be talking about how data can also be used for awareness-raising and information purposes.

Practical information to follow.

 

  • APRIL 16, 2024 - MISINFORMATION & HATE SPEECH IN THE DIGITAL ERA

What role can artists play in our understanding of online misinformation and hate speech? Academic experts, artists and humanitarians join forces to shed new light on these issues, touching on the shadowy areas of our freedom of expression in the age of information overload.

Practical information and speakers to follow.

 

  • JUNE 2024 (date to be confirmed) - CLOSING EVENT

Event designed by PHILIPPE STOLL, Senior Techplomacy Delegate at the ICRC

 

Presentation of the "DIGITAL DILEMMAS" installation and thematic closing conference with the participation of Dr. Oonagh Murphy, Senior Lecturer in Digital Culture and Society at Goldsmiths University, London, and recognized expert in practices at the intersection of artificial intelligence and museology.

Practical information to follow.

 

Full program available soon at www.redcrossmuseum.ch/events


Biographies

  • Oonagh Murphy

Dr Oonagh Murphy, advises cultural organisations, government bodies, and funders worldwide on digital strategy, policy and practice. She is a widely published author whose writings have appeared in The Guardian, Arts Professional, The Irish Times, and many academic journals and books. She is a Senior Lecturer in Digital Culture and Society at Goldsmiths, University of London, and was formerly Course Director of the MA in Visual Arts Management and Curating at Richmond the American International University (London), in 2019 she worked with The National Gallery and The Metropolitan Museum of Art to establish The Museums + AI Network, this timely action research project defined a new field of practice which sits at the intersection of Artificial Intelligence and Museology. She has been working as an advisor, writer, and lecturer since the early 2010s and contributes to emerging global conversations around tech policy, data rights, public commons, and public purpose institutions in a digital world, and is a regular keynote speaker and facilitator at events, forums and conferences. She is a member of the College of Experts at DCMS (UK Government department) and supports the development of evidence-based policy making that shapes policy and practice across the Arts, Heritage and Tourism Portfolio. She is an Open Data Institute Accredited Data Ethics Facilitator and Data Ethics Professional. 

  • Valérie Gorin

Valérie Gorin is Senior Lecturer and Researcher, Head of Learning at the Geneva Center of Humanitarian Studies. She holds a PhD in communication and media sciences from the University of Geneva (2013). Her areas of research focus on the visual culture and history of humanitarianism, humanitarian communication and the relationship with the media, and the evolution and uses of photojournalism. She is currently doing research on virtual reality, digital innovations, and advocacy strategies in humanitarian settings. She has published extensively on photojournalism, visual culture and advocacy in Digital Journalism (2015), the Middle East Journal of Culture and Communication (2017), Humanitarianism and the Media, 1900-2015 (Berghahn Books, 2018), L’humanitaire s’exhibe (1867-2016) (Georg, 2021). She also co-edited several publications about the responses to famine (European Review of History, 2015), the representations of the 2014-2016 migration crisis (Journal of Applied Journalism and Media Studies, 2018), humanitarian advocacy (Journal of Humanitarian Affairs, 2021) as well as a new edited volume (with B. Edgar and D. Martin Moruno) Making Humanitarian Crises: Emotions and Images in History (Palgrave Macmillan, 2022).


Toolkit

The launch of the Year of "Digital Dilemmas" (2023-24) coincides with the publication of 10 Ideas for a Caring Museum, the compendium of lessons learned from the Thematic Year dedicated to Mental Health (2022-23). This document, written by Marzia Varutti, is the second toolbox created by the Museum after 10 ideas for a feminist and inclusive museum, stemming from the "Gender and Diversity" year (2021-22) with Rebecca Amsellem. Designed as practical guides for professionals, these free online toolkits synthesize all the knowledge and learning developed in collaboration with the partners involved in each of our thematic cycles. They propose 10 key ideas, accompanied by a series of concrete measures - leaving everyone free to appropriate, adapt and add to them!

Free access (in English and French) at www.redcrossmuseum.ch



Die Ausstellung

PETRIT HALILAJ
(HISTOIRES INACHEVÉES | UNFINISHED HISTORIES)
Very volcanic over this green feather

Vom 25. Mai bis 17. September 2023 zeigt das Internationale Rotkreuz- und Rothalbmondmuseum in Genf die Ausstellung PETRIT HALILAJ. HISTOIRES INACHEVÉES | UNFINISHED STORIES – Very volcanic over this green feather. Die Installation, die ursprünglich 2021 für die Tate St Ives (GB) konzipiert und für das Internationale Rotkreuz- und Rothalbmondmuseum neugestaltet wurde, bildet den Höhepunkt des Themenjahres «Psychische Gesundheit» und befasst sich mit dem Thema Resilienz. Der 1986 geborene kosovarische Künstler Petrit Halilaj hat den Kosovokrieg als Kind erlebt und wurde in einem Flüchtlingscamp in Albanien vom Notfallpsychologen Giacomo «Angelo» Poli betreut. Dieser half ihm, die erlebten Eindrücke, Ängste, Träume und Hoffnungen mittels Zeichnungen zu verarbeiten und zu erkunden. Die Zeichnungen nutzt er nun, um aus deren Fragmenten einen von der Decke hängenden Wald zu gestalten.


Medienmitteilung

Vom 25. Mai bis 17. September 2023 widmet sich das Internationale Rotkreuz- und Rothalbmondmuseum einer Langzeitperspektive und befasst sich mit einem zentralen Thema der heutigen humanitären Arbeit: Resilienz. Wie erschliesst man das Gedächtnis eines Volkes, das gelitten hat? Wie verinnerlicht man eine Geschichte, die nicht selbst gewählt ist?

Die Ausstellung des kosovarischen Künstlers Petrit Halilaj bildet einen Höhepunkt des Themenjahres «Psychische Gesundheit» (2022/2023). Eine eindrückliche, feinsinnige und zugleich grossherzige Erzählung seiner persönlichen Lebensgeschichte anhand von Zeichnungen. Die aussergewöhnliche und immersive Installation des Künstlers lässt uns eintauchen in seine Kindheitserinnerungen aus dem Kosovokrieg, seine Träume und seine Hoffnung für die Zukunft.

Parallel dazu setzt das Museum seine Umwandlung in ein einladendes Forum im Dienste der Gemeinschaft fort. Nach dem Erfolg der ersten Konstruktionen im letzten Sommer werden erneut rund 100 Studierende des Labors Alice der EPFL Lausanne im Garten des Museums die bestehenden Bauten nachbessern und weiterentwickeln. Auf Holz als Baumaterial folgen diesmal gestampfter Lehm und eine Begrünung.
 

Seine Psyche immer wieder von Neuem aufbauen

Als Kind erlebte Petrit Halilaj den Kosovokrieg (1998–1999). Seine Familie fand Zuflucht im Flüchtlingslager Kukës II in Albanien. Dort begann Petrit Halilaj, betreut durch den freiwilligen Notfallpsychologen Giacomo «Angelo» Poli, seine Erlebnisse, seine Verstehensversuche und seine Träume bildlich auf Papier zu bringen. So entstanden 38 Zeichnungen mit Fragmenten aus der Realität und aus einer Fantasiewelt, Szenen aus dem Krieg und paradiesisch anmutenden Landschaften. Die Bilder wurden zu einer unabdingbaren Ressource, um dem Unaussprechlichen Ausdruck zu verleihen. Das frühe Talent des jungen Petrit zeigte sich dadurch, dass eine seiner Zeichnungen dem damaligen Generalsekretär der Vereinten Nationen, Kofi Annan, vorgelegt wurde, als dieser das Flüchtlingslager im Mai 1999 besuchte.

22 Jahre später entdeckte der inzwischen ausgebildete Künstler Petrit Halilaj die selbst angefertigten Zeichnungen neu. Er beschloss, anhand dieser Bilder auf seine eigene Geschichte zurückzublicken, sie mitzuteilen und sich zu eigen zu machen. Er schnitt Teile der Zeichnungen aus, vergrösserte sie, druckte sie auf Unterlagen für Filzstifte und Papier und erstellte daraus eine in-situ-Installation. Das Ergebnis ist eine Art riesiger, von der Decke hängender Wald, durch den sich die Besucherinnen und Besucher beliebig bewegen können.

Die Ausstellung präsentiert diesen Dialog des zum Künstler herangewachsenen Kindes mit sich selbst. Sie lädt das Publikum ein, die Geschehnisse über längere Zeiträume hinweg zu betrachten und daraus zu lernen, und sie leistet einen Beitrag zu einer kollektiven, wohlgesinnten Reflexion über Resilienz. Petrit Halilajs Werk trägt den bezeichnenden Titel Very volcanic over this green feather. Die Besucherinnen und Besucher spüren und erleben bei der Betrachtung den Prozess der Rekonstruktion einer Persönlichkeit – eine Erfahrung, die angesichts des heutigen Weltgeschehens höchst aktuell ist.

  • «Dieses Projekt ist aus dem Bedürfnis von Petrit Halilaj entstanden, sich seine Lebensgeschichte und seine Kriegserlebnisse zu eigen zu machen. Zwei Jahrzehnte lang bewahrte er diese Zeichnungen auf, ohne es über sich zu bringen, sie wieder in die Hand zu nehmen. Im Jahr 2020 beschloss er schliesslich, dieser unvollendeten Geschichte eine Fortsetzung zu verleihen.» Elisa Rusca, Leiterin Sammlungen und Ausstellungen und Kuratorin der Ausstellung

Indem das Museum dieses Monumentalwerk von Petrit Halilaj in seinen Räumlichkeiten präsentiert, bringt es einmal mehr seine Unterstützung für das zeitgenössische künstlerische Schaffen zum Ausdruck, nachdem es bereits im ersten Höhepunkt des Themenjahres «Psychische Gesundheit» (2022/2023) im Rahmen von Équilibres précaires drei freie Werke von Schweizer Kunstschaffenden ausgestellt hatte. Das Thema Resilienz ist im Bereich der humanitären Arbeit hochaktuell und erinnert auch an die Arbeit von Boris Cyrulnik, von dem sich Aussagen in der Dauerausstellung wiederfinden.

 

Das Themenjahr «Psychische Gesundheit» (2022/2023) in Kürze

In Zusammenarbeit mit zahlreichen Partnerinnen und Partnern aus den Bereichen humanitäre Arbeit, Kultur und Forschung befasst sich das Themenjahr «Psychische Gesundheit» mit Ideen und Ansätzen, die sich direkt im Alltagsleben anwenden lassen.

  • «Indem wir verschiedene Gemeinschaften miteinander vernetzen, um Gespräche rund um die psychische Gesundheit zu fördern, wollen wir mithelfen, das Stigma, das auf diesem Thema lastet, zu beseitigen. Es geht vor allem darum, Gedanken in die Tat umzusetzen: Wir wollen das theoretische Wissen in praktisches Know-how umwandeln und Seite an Seite mit den Besucherinnen und Besuchern voneinander lernen.» Pascal Hufschmid, Museumsdirektor

Das Programm wurde im September 2022 lanciert und dauert noch bis im Sommer 2023. Es umfasst folgende Schwerpunkte:

  • eine Veranstaltungsreihe über psychische Gesundheit im Bereich der humanitären Arbeit und darüber hinaus, in Zusammenarbeit mit dem Genfer Zentrum für humanitäre Studien (Centre d’études humanitaires) und der Universität Genf;
  • Führungen durch die Ausstellungen, in Zusammenarbeit mit dem fakultätsübergreifenden Zentrum für affektive Wissenschaften (Centre Interfacultaire en Sciences Affectives, CISA) der Universität Genf;
  • die gemeinschaftliche Gestaltung eines kleinen Hefts über wohlwollendes Verhalten mit Anregungen unserer Besucherinnen und Besucher und des CISA;
  • öffentliche Erste-Hilfe-Kurse für psychische Gesundheit, in Zusammenarbeit mit ensa und der Stiftung Pro Mente Sana;
  • Kurse in Emergency Yoga, in Zusammenarbeit mit Donna Williams vom IKRK.

Biografie des Künstlers

Der 1986 in Kostërc im Kosovo geborene Petrit Halilaj lebt und arbeitet in Deutschland, im Kosovo und in Italien. Zudem leitet er ein Atelier an der Ecole des Beaux-Arts von Paris. Seine Arbeiten sind eng verflochten mit der jüngeren Geschichte seines Landes und den Folgen der politischen und kulturellen Spannungen in der Region.

Ethnische Konflikte und Krieg sind wiederkehrende Themen der Werke von Petrit Halilaj, die oft ganz persönlichen Erlebnissen des Künstlers entspringen. Die Ausstellung schafft Welten, die nach Räumen der Freiheit, der Sehnsucht und der Identität verlangen. So wird sie zu einem Werkzeug, mit dessen Hilfe Petrit Halilaj den persönlichen und kollektiven Verlauf der Geschichte in eine neue Richtung lenkt.

  • «Um bestehende Systeme zu verändern, braucht man viel Zeit. Trotzdem vertraue ich auf die Fähigkeit der Kunst, Brücken zu schlagen zwischen völlig entgegengesetzten Weltanschauungen. Was mich interessiert ist, einen Soldaten und einen Pfau zusammenzubringen, damit sie miteinander in einen Dialog treten und eine andere Geschichte erzählen, die befreit ist von der erdrückenden Last der kollektiven Vorstellungen, die das Gedächtnis eines Konflikts dominieren. Daraus entspringt im Grunde genommen die Schönheit der Vielfalt.» Petrit Halilaj, in einem Interview für die Tate St Ives 2021

Die Werke von Petrit Halilaj wurden in Einzelausstellungen in Bern, Bonn, Turin, Paris, St Ives, Pristina, Madrid, Lissabon, New York und Los Angeles ausgestellt und waren Teil zahlreicher Gruppenausstellungen, etwa in Lyon, Venedig, Rom, Berlin und Toronto. Der Künstler wird durch die Galerien Mennour in Paris und ChertLüdde in Berlin vertreten.


Pressekontakt

North Communication

Romaine Travelletti
T +41 79 580 73 36 
romaine@north-communication.ch


Ressourcen der Ausstellung

Poster of the exhibition "Petrit Halilaj (Unfinished Histories) © Enen Studio

Petrit Halilaj (Unfinished Histories) © Zoé Aubry

Portrait of Petrit Halilaj © Zoé Aubry

Petrit Halilaj (Unfinished Histories) © Mennour Archives

Petrit Halilaj (Unfinished Histories) © Mennour Archives

Petrit Halilaj (Unfinished Histories) © Mennour Archives

Petrit Halilaj (Unfinished Histories) © Mennour Archives

Petrit Halilaj (Unfinished Histories) © Mennour Archives

Petrit Halilaj (Unfinished Histories) © Mennour Archives

Petrit Halilaj (Unfinished Histories) © Mennour Archives

Petrit Halilaj (Unfinished Histories) © Mennour Archives

Petrit Halilaj (Unfinished Histories) © Mennour Archives

Petrit Halilaj (Unfinished Histories) © Mennour Archives

Petrit Halilaj (Unfinished Histoiries) © Mennour Archives

Petrit Halilaj (Unfinished Histoiries) © Mennour Archives

Petrit Halilaj (Unfinished Histories) © Mennour Archives

Petrit Halilaj (Unfinished Histories) © Mennour Archives

Petrit Halilaj (Unfinished Histories) © Zoé Aubry



Die Ausstellung

ÉQUILIBRES PRÉCAIRES | A FRAGILE BALANCE
9. November 2022 bis 12. März 2023

Wie gelingt es, nicht den Boden unter den Füssen zu verlieren, wenn rund um einen herum die ganze Welt zusammenbricht? Auf welche neuen Fundamente kann man aufbauen? Wovon hängt eigentlich unser inneres Gleichgewicht ab?

Im Rahmen seines Themenjahres «Psychische Gesundheit» (2022/2023) hat das Internationale Rotkreuz- und Rothalbmondmuseum (MICR) drei zeitgenössischen Schweizer Kunstschaffenden – Denise Bertschi, Nicolas Cilins und Nina Haab – eine Carte Blanche gegeben. Im Dialog mit einer Skulptur von Olafur Eliasson erforschen ihre neuen Werke unsere körperlichen und psychischen Grenzen und hinterfragen unser inneres Gleichgewicht.

ÉQUILIBRES PRÉCAIRES ist eine Einladung zum Entdecken, Fühlen, Handeln und Loslassen, damit die Besucherinnen und Besucher voll und ganz im Hier und Jetzt präsent sind.


Medienmitteilung

Die drei grossformatigen Installationen der Aargauerin Denise Bertschi, des Genfers Nicolas Cilins und der Tessinerin Nina Haab stehen im Dialog mit der Skulptur Geometric lines for horizons von Olafur Eliasson. Gemeinsam schaffen sie einen nuancierten und einladenden Raum zum Eintauchen in das Thema.

 

Fürsorge als Handlungsantrieb

ÉQUILIBRES PRÉCAIRES bekräftigt das künstlerische Schaffen als Möglichkeit der aktiven Fürsorge, sowohl für sich selbst als auch für seine Mitmenschen. Denn man besucht diese Ausstellung nicht, um Kunstwerke zu betrachten. Es sind die Kunstwerke, die den Betrachtenden «besuchen». Die Ausstellung bietet eine Möglichkeit, innezuhalten und über unsere eigenen Grenzen und Verletzlichkeiten nachzudenken und sie gibt uns die Möglichkeit, uns ihrer anzunehmen.

Für Elisa Rusca, Konservatorin am MICR und Ausstellungskuratorin, ist ÉQUILIBRES PRÉCAIRES wie ein schwingendes Pendel: «Die Ausstellung versucht, die Übergänge zwischen nah und fern, individuell und kollektiv, intim und öffentlich, Körper und Symbolik aufzuzeigen. Sie ist eine Einladung, sich daran zu erinnern, wie verletzlich die bestehenden Gleichgewichte sind.»

Auch wenn die von den drei Kunstschaffenden gewählten Perspektiven zunächst durch ihre Unterschiedlichkeit überraschen, appellieren sie alle an unser kollektives Gedächtnis. Sei es die Bewegung der Körper bei Nicolas Cilins, der Dialog zwischen Natur und Kultur bei Nina Haab oder die Neutralität bei Denise Bertschi – die drei Werke drehen sich um dasselbe Thema: Grenzen und ihre Überwindung.
 

  • Healing Routine von Nicolas Cilins: Was sagen die Bewegungen des Körpers über unser Verhältnis zu uns selbst und den anderen aus?

    Healing Routine ist eine immersive Installation, das Ergebnis einer Gemeinschaftsarbeit, die mit Mitgliedern des MICR-Teams während therapeutischer Tanzworkshops mit Suzanne Z'Graggen und Maroussia Ehrnrooth entstanden ist.

    In diesem, in den Räumen des Museums gefilmten Werk befasst sich Nicolas Cilins mit der psychischen Gesundheit gestützt auf die Bewegung des Körpers: Kann das Tanzen zu einem Werkzeug werden, mit dessen Hilfe wir uns selbst und andere besser verstehen? Kann Kunst den Alltag «heilen»? Healing Routine erforscht jedoch nicht nur den Körper, sondern auch die Architektur. Im Rahmen des kreativen Prozesses hatte jede und jeder nach und nach die Gelegenheit, in sich selbst einzutauchen und gleichzeitig andere Wege zu entdecken, wie die Räume des Museums bevölkert werden können. Nicht ohne Humor hinterfragt das so entstandene Kunstwerk die künstlerischen Therapien, den Platz der Künstlerin oder des Künstlers und die Rolle des Museums.

    «Situationen mit prekären Gleichgewichten interessieren mich ganz besonders. Mit Healing Routine habe ich versucht, das Thema mitten im Museum zu verankern, um so ortsnah wie möglich vorzugehen. Anhand des therapeutischen Tanzens konnte ich beobachten, was bei einer Begegnung geschieht, und gleichzeitig, was eine Begegnung über die Protagonist*innen aussagt oder mit ihnen macht.» – Nicolas Cilins (1985)

 

  • One Natural Border von Nina Haab: sogenannte natürliche Grenzen überwinden

    Weil die Grenzen der Wirklichkeit und das Verhältnis zwischen kollektivem und persönlichem Gedächtnis im Zentrum ihrer künstlerischen Praxis stehen, erforschte Nina Haab mehrere Jahre lang die Wahrzeichen der Alpen: die Teufelsbrücke, den Gotthardpass und den Nufenenpass. Mythische Orte mit mehreren Gesichtern, die manchmal den Übergang und den Handel ermöglichen, sie manchmal aber auch verhindern.

    One Natural Border ist das Ergebnis zahlreicher Aufnahmen, die Nina Haab zu unterschiedlichen Jahreszeiten, wenn die Pässe offen oder geschlossen sind, erstellt hat. Die Bilder dieser rauen Natur, projiziert auf zwei Grossbildschirme, vermischen sich mit Stimmen aus dem Off in unterschiedlichen Sprachen. Sie zeugen von diesen Sprachen, die durch die natürlichen Grenzen entstanden und gleichzeitig auch bewahrt wurden, und die sich hier in einem jahrhundertealten Ritual begegnen, das darin besteht, das Gemeingut in den Mittelpunkt des kollektiven Handelns zu stellen.

    «Indem die beiden Grossbildschirme von One Natural Border wie ineinander verfliessen, schaffen sie einen immersiven Raum, als ob man eintauchen würde in einen Bereich, der der Begegnung zweier Kulturen vorbehalten ist. Dadurch können wir uns selbst, unsere Herkunft und unsere Wesensverwandtschaft hinterfragen: Ist mir der Norden oder der Süden vertrauter?» – Nina Haab (1985, Bellinzona)

 

  • State Fiction von Denise Bertschi: die Grenzen eines Archivs erkunden

    Die Frage der Grenzen und die Rolle der Neutralität bei der Gestaltung der Erzählung, die die Schweizer Identität begründet, nehmen in der Arbeit von Denise Bertschi einen zentralen Platz ein. Aus Sicht der Künstlerin ist «neutral sein» ein komplexer und gleichzeitig fragiler Zustand. In State Fiction. Neutral Only on the Outside befasst sie sich mit der Rolle der Schweiz bei der neutralen militärischen Mission zur Überwachung des Waffenstillstands zwischen Nord- und Südkorea. Nach ihren Aufenthalten vor Ort verbrachte sie viel Zeit in der Sammlung Korea der Bibliothek am Guisanplatz in Bern, um dort die Aufnahmen und Filme anzusehen, die von den Schweizer Armeeangehörigen aufgenommen worden waren. Sie entdeckte Szenen aus dem Alltag wie Mahlzeiten, Begegnungen und Landschaften, mit denen sie nicht gerechnet hatte. Anhand eines Films, eines Fotobuches und einer Reihe von Flaggen zeigt State Fiction den Wert eines Archivs und fragt nach dessen Grenzen.

    Für das MICR hat Denise Bertschi ihre Arbeit weiter vertieft. In Zusammenarbeit mit dem Historiker Daniel Palmieri entdeckte sie im Archiv des IKRK persönliche Gegenstände und Berichte von Jean Courvoisier, der 1952 in Korea als IKRK-Delegierter im Einsatz war. Eine Vitrine zeugt von der Verflechtung der verschiedenen Ebenen, zwischen persönlichen Erzählungen und kollektiver Geschichte.

    «State Fiction hinterfragt das Prinzip der Neutralität, indem das Werk das Gleichgewicht des koreanischen Grenzgebietes und dessen Zerbrechlichkeit beleuchtet. Obwohl eine strenge Trennlinie zwischen dem Norden und dem Süden gebaut wurde, zeigen die Geschichte und die visuelle Kultur, dass es keine eindeutige Antwort auf die Frage der Gleichgewichte gibt. Deshalb interessieren mich die unterschiedlichen Erzählungen, die stets von den geopolitischen Spannungen zeugen.» – Denise Bertschi (1983, Aarau)


Gemeinsam stehen die drei Installationen im Dialog mit einem Werk von Olafur Eliasson: einer teilweise silberglänzenden und bemalten Glaskugel, in die dünne Linien eingearbeitet wurden. Blickt man ins Innere, entdeckt man eine Spiegelung, die sich unendlich viele Male wiederholt. Geometric lines for horizons lädt uns in eine subtile Welt ein, in der keine Grenzen existieren.

 

Das Kernstück des Themenjahres «Psychische Gesundheit»

Mit ÉQUILIBRES PRÉCAIRES und dem im September lancierten neuen Themenjahr 2022/2023 beleuchtet das MICR unsere Verletzlichkeit aus einer neuen Perspektive: ein stets aktuelles Thema in der humanitären Arbeit, das genauso zentral für unseren Alltag ist. In Zusammenarbeit mit zahlreichen Partner*innen aus den Bereichen humanitäre Arbeit, Kultur und Forschung möchte das Museum mit dem Themenjahr «Psychische Gesundheit» Ideen und Ansätze erforschen, die sich direkt in unserem Alltagsleben anwenden lassen.

Für Pascal Hufschmid, Direktor des MICR, geht es um eine konkrete Umsetzung dessen, was es bedeutet, ein Museum im Dienste der Gemeinschaft zu sein: «Wir bekräftigen unsere Rolle als zugangsoffene und einladende Plattform, und wir vernetzen verschiedene Gemeinschaften miteinander, um Gespräche rund um die psychische Gesundheit zu fördern und mitzuhelfen, das Stigma, das auf diesem Thema lastet, zu beseitigen. Es geht vor allem darum, Gedanken in die Tat umzusetzen: Wir wollen das theoretische Wissen in praktisches Know-how umwandeln und Seite an Seite mit den Besucherinnen und Besuchern voneinander lernen.»

Ohne Anspruch auf Vollständigkeit sollen unterschiedliche Lösungen erforscht und dieses komplexe Thema aus möglichst vielen Blickwinkeln heraus beleuchtet werden, mit dem Ziel, Fürsorge an Orten zu erleben, an denen viele sie nicht erwarten würden. Das Programm umfasst öffentliche Erste-Hilfe-Kurse für psychische Gesundheit, eine Veranstaltungsreihe über psychische Gesundheit in der humanitären Arbeit und darüber hinaus Kurse in Emergency Yoga, Führungen mit zwei Fachpersonen aus dem Bereich der Emotionen und die gemeinsame Gestaltung eines praktischen Leitfadens für wohlwollendes Verhalten.

 

Ein Museum für alle: Lancierung der Solidaritätssonntage des MICR

Das Museum versteht sich als Instrument im Dienste der Gemeinschaft und des Zusammenlebens. Ab November setzt es dieses Anliegen konkret um, und zwar mit der Lancierung der Solidaritätssonntage.

Jeweils am ersten Sonntag des Monats werden Eintrittstickets gesammelt und an das Genfer Rote Kreuz gespendet, das sie an seine Begünstigten verteilt. Schrittweise wird das Museum zudem mit weiteren lokalen Partnern zusammenarbeiten, die im sozialen Bereich tätig sind. So können die Besucher*innen durch den Kauf eines oder mehrerer «gesponserter Tickets» dazu beitragen, durch eine soziale Geste den Zugang zur Kultur von Person zu Person zu fördern.

Zahlreiche Aktivitäten und Überraschungen erwarten unsere Besucher*innen an den Solidaritätssonntagen: Yogakurse, spezielle Führungen, Begegnungen mit Autor*innen, Entdecken von lokalen Produkten etc.

 

Pressemitteilung herunterladen


Drei Cartes blanches

Denise Bertschi (1983, Aarau)

ist Künstlerin und Forscherin, Doktorandin an der EPFL Lausanne und der Kunsthochschule HEAD Genf. Bei ihrer Arbeit hinterfragt sie das Verhältnis der Schweiz zur übrigen Welt, unter anderem anhand des kollektiven Gedächtnisses und der kulturellen Mythen. 2020 erhielt sie den MANOR Art Prize. Ihre Arbeit wurde in der Schweiz und im Ausland (Aargauer Kunsthaus, Swiss Art Awards, Landesmuseum Zürich, Centre Culturel Suisse de Paris) ausgestellt.

 

Nicolas Cilins (1985)

ist ein Genfer Konzeptkünstler, der mit Video, Performance und Installationen arbeitet. Er verfügt über einen Bachelor in visueller Kunst der Elitehochschule Villa Arson in Nizza und ein Diplom in Performance-Kunst der Kunsthochschule HEAD Genf. Seine Arbeiten entstehen oft in Zusammenarbeit mit Einzelpersonen und Gemeinschaften. Sie wurden bereits an zahlreichen Festivals und in Museen (Berlinale, Planetarium Moskau, MAC VAL Paris, Kunstmuseum Bern und La-Bâtie-Festival Genf) ausgestellt.

 

Nina Haab (1985, Bellinzona)

verfügt über einen Master in visueller Kunst der Kunsthochschule HEAD Genf. Sie hat an zahlreichen Einzel- und Gemeinschaftsausstellungen in der Schweiz und im Ausland teilgenommen (Kunstmuseum Olten, Galleria d’Arte Moderna Turin, Studiolo in den Kunst-Werken Berlin). 2012 wurde sie mit dem Swiss Art Award in Basel ausgezeichnet, 2019 war sie Finalistin des Prix Mobilière und 2020 erhielt sie das Kunststipendium der Fondation Abraham Hermanjat. Ihre Arbeiten sind Bestandteil des Fonds municipal pour l’art contemporain FMAC, Genf, der Fondazione Archivio Fotografico Roberto Donetta, Corzoneso, und des Musée Jenisch in Vevey.


Eine Installation

Olafur Eliasson

erforscht in seinen Werken generell die Relevanz der Kunst in der Welt. Der 1967 geborene Künstler wuchs in Island und Dänemark auf, wo er von 1989 bis 1995 an der Königlichen Akademie der Künste Dänemarks studierte. 1995 zog er nach Berlin und gründete dort das Studio Olafur Eliasson, das heute ein bedeutendes Team aus Kunsthandwerkern, Architekten, Archivfachleuten, Forschenden, Administratoren, Köchen, Programmierfachleuten, Kunsthistorikern und spezialisierten Technikern umfasst. Seit 1997 wurden seine grossen Einzelausstellungen – mit Installationen, Gemälden, Skulpturen, Fotografien und Filmen – in den wichtigsten Museen auf der ganzen Welt präsentiert.


Pressekontakt

North Communication

Romaine Travelletti
T +41 79 580 73 36 
romaine@north-communication.ch


Ressourcen der Ausstellung

Nicolas Cilins, Healing Routine, 2022, video still 1. © Julie Bellard. International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum

Nicolas Cilins, Healing Routine, 2022, video still 2. © Julie Bellard. International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum

Nicolas Cilins, Healing Routine, 2022, video still 3. © Julie Bellard. International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum

Portrait Nicolas Cilins. © Tien Nguyen The. International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum

Nina Haab, ONE NATURAL BORDER, 2022, film still. ©Nina Haab. International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum

Nina Haab, ONE NATURAL BORDER, 2022, film still rencontre. ©Nina Haab. International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum

Nina Haab, ONE NATURAL BORDER, 2022, film still fin. ©Nina Haab. International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum

Portrait Nina Haab. © Vincent Fischer 2019. International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum

© Denise Bertschi, ICRC Archives cigar boxes, 2022. International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum

© Denise Bertschi, ICRC Archives cigar boxes, 2022. International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum

© Denise Bertschi, ICRC Archives folder, 2022. International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum

© Denise Bertschi, ICRC Archives foto envelopes, 2022. International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum

© Denise Bertschi, ICRC Archives fotos, 2022. International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum

Denise Bertschi, State Fiction. © Tristan Savoy (CCS Paris). International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum

Denise Bertschi, State Fiction. © Tristan Savoy (CCS Paris). International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum

Denise Bertschi, State Fiction Book cover. © NASK. International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum

Denise Bertschi, State Fiction Book interior. © NASK. International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum

Denise Bertschi, State Fiction Book interior. © NASK. International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum

Portrait Denise Bertschi. © Céline Burnand. International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum

Olafur Eliasson, Geometric Lines for Horizons, 2014. © Jens Ziehe 2015. International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum

Olafur Eliasson, Geometric Lines for Horizons, 2014. © Jens Ziehe 2015. International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum

Olafur Eliasson, Geometric Lines for Horizons, 2014. © Jens Ziehe 2015. International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum



Annual theme

Mental health to guide the Museum’s 2022–2023 programming

The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum has selected mental health as the guiding theme for the coming year. Alongside numerous partners from the worlds of humanitarian action, culture and research, the Museum will explore ideas and techniques that can be applied in day-to-day life. For its forthcoming programming cycle, it will give carte blanche to various contemporary artists, host co-creation projects, deliver mental-health first-aid courses for the public, hold a series of events on mental health in the humanitarian sector, offer “emergency yoga” classes, and run guided tours with two experts in emotion. In doing so, the Museum will reaffirm its role as an open, welcoming space that invites conversations about mental health, brings communities together and transforms knowledge into action.

The launch of the Year of Mental Health (2022–2023) coincides with the publication of Ten ideas for a feminist and inclusive museum, a compendium of the lessons learned from the Museum’s Year of Gender & Diversity (2021–2022). The document, published online and developed in partnership with Rebecca Amsellem, is the first in a new, aptly named “toolkit” series.
 


Press release

The Museum aims to be a space for discussion, debate and creative thinking on what is happening within the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, the cultural scene and day-to-day life. In keeping with this aim, every year, it selects an important societal issue as the guiding theme for its programming cycle, using its exhibitions, events, publications and online content as a way to learn with and alongside visitors and the general public. “Whenever people are debating important issues in wider society, we should be talking about them at the Museum, too,” said Pascal Hufschmid, executive director of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum.
 

Re-examining our vulnerabilities

What can the Museum do to promote well-being and break the stigma surrounding mental illness? A long-time issue in the humanitarian sector, mental health has risen to the top of the public agenda over the past two years under the combined influence of the COVID-19 pandemic and the climate emergency. The Museum is playing its part by inviting experts from all walks of life to share practical insights. The Year of Mental Health will place the issue of care – for oneself and for others – front and centre. And while it will not be possible to cover every angle, the Museum will seek to explore different avenues and give space to diverse voices on this complex subject.

Full details of the upcoming cycle, which will build on the principles of collective intelligence and collaborative action, are available on the Museum’s website (redcrossmuseum.ch).


Highlights include:

Mental-health first-aid courses

  • What: Course  leading to a certificate of completion delivered by ensa, a mental-health first-aid initiative by non-profit organization Pro Mente Sana (ensa swiss, fee-based course, held in French).
  • When: Sessions take place over two consecutive Saturdays at the Museum (9 am - 12:30 pm, 1:30 pm - 5 pm). The course will run on 8 and 15 October 2022, 4 and 11 March, and 3 and 10 June 2023.
  • Registration: www.ensa.swiss/en/first-aiders/course/

Emergencyoga

  • What: A chance to feel present in your body, mind and spirit, and to focus on the here and now. Classes run at the Museum by Donna Williams, Founder of Emergencyoga and Regional Head of Resource Mobilization ICRC (combined offer: class + exhibition visits, suitable for all levels, all classes held in English and French).
  • When: The first Sunday of each month at 11 am, starting on 2 October.
  • Registration: www.redcrossmuseum.ch/en/ and www.emergencyoga.org

Mental health in the humanitarian sector

  • What: Multidisciplinary events led by Valérie Gorin, head of learning at the Geneva Centre of Humanitarian Studies (free entry, in English).
  • When: Five 90-minute evening events held at the Museum between December 2022 and June 2023.
  • Registration: Opens soon at www.redcrossmuseum.ch/en/

Emotion-focused guided tours of the permanent exhibition

  • What: Insights into the Museum’s permanent exhibition from researchers at the Swiss Centre for Affective Sciences (University of Geneva), in conversation with humanitarian practitioners and the public.
  • First discussion: 8 December
  • Registration on the dedicated page for the event

 

New initiative: Community Sundays

As a hub serving the local community, the Museum is once again aligning its actions with its words through the new Community Sundays initiative.

On the first Sunday of each month, visitors will be able to buy additional admission tickets. The Museum will donate these tickets to the Geneva Red Cross, which will then redistribute them among its beneficiaries. In time, the initiative will be expanded to include other local non-profits. By putting admission tickets “on tab” in this way, visitors will be doing their bit to bring culture within everyone’s reach.

On Community Sundays, there will be a wealth of activities and surprises in store for visitors, from yoga classes and special tours to meet-the-author events, local produce stalls and more.

The Museum will hold its second Community Sunday on 4 December.

Programme:

  • 11 am: yoga class with Donna Williams, Regional Head of Resource Mobilization at the ICRC and founder of emergencyoga. 

Download the press release.
 


Media Contact

North Communication

Romaine Travelletti
T +41 79 580 73 36 
romaine@north-communication.ch



The exhibition

Who cares?
Gender and humanitarian action

From 31 May to 9 October 2022, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum (MICR) will be taking a fresh look at the history of humanitarian action through the lens of gender in an exhibition called Who cares? This critical exploration of stereotypes in representations of humanitarianism aims to shed light on the complex lived experience of humanitarian workers past and present, and the diverse paths that brought them there. The exhibition is the result of a unique partnership between the MICR and the University of Geneva, with the support of the Swiss National Science Foundation. An open day will be held on Saturday, 4 June, to mark the show’s opening.
 


The exhibition in figures

  • Over 5 years of research
  • More than 300 objects
  • About twenty institutional and private lenders
  • About twenty academic case studies supported by the research of our partner University of Geneva

Press release

“Take care” is a deceptively simple phrase that evokes the principle of humanity and underpins all humanitarian action. In Who cares?, the MICR’s latest exhibition, a question that is often intended derisively is instead an earnest enquiry into who tends to people’s wounds and works to meet their needs. Who actually cares, in every sense of the word?

WHO CARES?, produced in partnership with the Institute for Ethics, History and the Humanities at the University of Geneva, invites visitors to consider humanitarian action through the lens of gender and diversity. The exhibition offers a fresh look at the experience of people who have been largely overlooked by history and encourages visitors to re-examine their own perceptions of humanitarian workers and of those who receive care, through a broad selection of objects and accounts that have been assembled and presented together for the first time.

 

Restoring forgotten figures in humanitarian history

Who embodies the world of care? In Western visual history, the provider of care has often been accorded characteristics perceived as feminine, such as devotion, attentiveness, sympathy, empathy and compassion. Nurses are potent symbols of the provision of relief and healing, and the nurse seated at a wounded soldier’s bedside became a prevalent stereotype starting in the late 19th century. However, this maternal or angelic imagining of the female humanitarian has all too often been restricted to white, Western women from privileged backgrounds.

This new exhibition draws from the history of medicine and gender, visual culture and the ethics of care to reveal recurring stereotypes in how humanitarians are represented, often based on rigid gender roles. Such representations, which divorce action and leadership from care and compassion, limit our understanding of humanitarians’ lived experience and fail to account for the complexity of their work.

WHO CARES? provides keys to understanding how the history of humanitarian action has largely been written from a male point of view. But history can also be a tool for building a more inclusive and, thus, democratic society. As researchers Dolores Martín Moruno, Brenda Lynn Edgar and Marie Leyder at the University of Geneva’s Institute for Ethics, History and the Humanities note: “WHO CARES? aims to re-examine the history of humanitarian action by focusing on how those providing care have been rendered invisible. Whether in terms of their lived experience, knowledge and technical know-how, or in terms of the power dynamics at play, these issues get to the heart of contemporary social questions. Debates around gender, ethnicity, class and sexual orientation are more ubiquitous than ever.

That deconstructive approach underpins the exhibition’s constellation-style layout. For MICR curators Claire FitzGerald and Elisa Rusca, the exhibition “is an ecosystem made up of a large number of stories and objects – from textiles and medical instruments to photographs and film footage – that together embody the rich variety of care providers’ experience and the diversity of humanitarian work. We have created a new form of multi-layered exhibition space that invites visitors to step away from dominant preconceptions and open themselves up to other points of view.

 

Advancing research and sharing it with the general public

WHO CARES? is supported by a grant from the Swiss National Science Foundation’s Agora project, which aims to share research with the public. Dialogue, debate and public participation are given pride of place in the exhibition, which features spaces for reading and reflection.

Produced in partnership with the University of Geneva, WHO CARES? is emblematic of changes that began at the Museum before the pandemic, as the MICR strives to foster communication among the worlds of humanitarianism, culture and research, for the benefit of a wide audience.

The project also provides a new perspective on the Museum’s permanent exhibition. A series of questions have been added to the displays to encourage visitors to consider The Humanitarian Adventure through the lens of gender – questions to which WHO CARES? provides possible answers.

The MICR is deeply invested in including diverse voices in its programming as a way of better reflecting sea changes not only within the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement but also in the cultural sphere and in everyday life. Who cares? was developed as part of the Museum’s first annual theme, Gender and Diversity, launched in September 2021.

In the words of the MICR’s director, Pascal Hufschmid: “Sharing cutting-edge, gender-oriented research on humanitarian action, conducted right here in Geneva, in an accessible and inclusive manner means inviting humanitarian workers and the general public to re-examine the history of humanitarianism and how it is represented today.
 


Introduction to the exhibition

Who cares? This question, often intended derisively, can be interpreted in at least two other ways. Who feels genuinely affected and moved by a particular issue? And who provides care to others by working to meet their needs?

Here, the question “who cares?” and its various meanings are an invitation to take a fresh look at the history of humanitarian action and how it is represented today. Rigid gender roles are commonplace, with men associated with action and leadership while women supply compassion and care. Yet those stereotypes are belied across time by the complexity of humanitarian work and the experience of those engaged in it.

By presenting a broad selection of objects and little-known accounts spanning more than a century, this exhibition invites us to consider humanitarian action in all its diversity. Inspired by social justice movements seeking to counter racial and sexual discrimination, it shines a spotlight on figures who have long been excluded from humanitarian history.

Together – informed by the latest developments in the history of knowledge, health care, gender and emotions as well as visual and material culture studies – we can all contribute to a paradigm shift.

WHO CARES? is a co-production of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum and the University of Geneva, with the support of the Swiss National Science Foundation.
 


The chapters of the exhibition

  • Who makes the effort to take care of others?
  • What can we do to meet people’s needs?
  • What methods and tools – objects, actions or emotions – can we use to provide care?
  • “Everything we do to maintain, continue and repair our world so that we can live in it as well as possible.”

Press relations

North Communication

Romaine Travelletti
Tel. +41 79 580 73 36
romaine@north-communication.ch


Ressourcen der Ausstellung

"Who cares?" poster © Flavia Cocchi

Unknown, Japanese Red Cross Society nurse’s boots, Japan, 1940–1950. International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum. © Zoé Aubry

Unknown, Cup, United Kingdom, undated. International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum. © Zoé Aubry

Unknown, Nurse’s cape, Belgium, 1940–1945. International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum. © Zoé Aubry

© Aline Bovard Rudaz

© Aline Bovard Rudaz

© Aline Bovard Rudaz



The exhibition

TO HEAL A WORLD
160 Years of Photography from the Collections of the Red Cross

For its latest exhibition, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum (MICR) will tap into a unique yet little-known photographic heritage to explore humanitarian imagery and how it is perceived. TO HEAL A WORLD, scheduled to run from 16 November 2021 to 24 April 2022, will feature over 600 photographs drawn from the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement collections. To mark the opening, the MICR will hold an open day on Saturday, 20 November.

From 16 November 2021 to 24 April 2022 at the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum,
from 4 July to 25 September 2022 at the Rencontres internationales de la photographie d'Arles.


The exhibition in figures

  • over 600 photographs
  • 200 photographers
  • 4 collections
  • 13 agencies
  • 18 national Red Cross and Red Crescent societies

Press release

Humanitarian images entered people’s daily lives over a century ago and are now a fixture in today’s news. Such images often convey a sense of immediacy and certainty, setting a scene that allows for only one interpretation. Viewers think they fully understand the event in question without considering what lies just outside the frame. But the reality on the ground is always more complex than its representation, which is by nature merely a fragment.

 

Tapping into a rich photographic heritage

TO HEAL A WORLD presents, in a variety of ways, more than 600 images dating from 1850 to the present. They include both public images used to communicate about humanitarian crises and more confidential ones, once reserved for internal use.

The works were carefully selected over the course of two years from a highly diverse yet little-known corpus of photos: the collections of the MICR, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).

The broad scope of perspectives on display alerts viewers to the complexity of humanitarian work beyond the lens. A number of images were captured by well-known photographers – such as Werner Bischof, Susan Meiselas and Henri Cartier-Bresson from Magnum Photos agency – while others are the work of people employed by the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement or people directly affected by crises. The exhibition ends with a selection of personal photographs collected from migrants by Alexis Cordesse.

TO HEAL A WORLD was developed in association with the Rencontres d’Arles, an annual photography festival that will host the exhibition in 2022.

 

New ways of interpreting newsworthy images

TO HEAL A WORLD delivers a methodical analysis of the codes that underpin humanitarian imagery. Visitors are encouraged to view each image with a critical eye: where was it taken, what story does it tell, and what does it not show? In exploring the intentionality behind each work, the exhibition sets out a visual grammar of humanitarian action that can help to unlock meaning.

For Nathalie Herschdorfer, the exhibition curator, TO HEAL A WORLD underscores the utilitarian role of photography and what these images have to say about the modern era: “Much of what we know about the past, about history, has come to us through written texts. Yet we cannot trace the history of humanitarian action without taking into account the history of photography itself. The ICRC was founded in 1864, only 25 years after the invention of photography in 1839 – their destinies are inextricably linked. Today more than ever, humanitarian action without imagery is unthinkable.

The MICR asks a fundamental question: how does humanitarian action concern all of us, here and now? This exhibition points to one possible answer. For Pascal Hufschmid, Executive Director of the MICR, who conceived the exhibition: “TO HEAL A WORLD is designed to shine a light on a rich photographic heritage at the heart of international Geneva. The exhibition prompts us to reconsider how we look at images of the conflicts and natural disasters that we see every day in the news. In the humanitarian sphere, an image is never worth a thousand words.


Curation

Nathalie Herschorfer
 

Direction

Pascal Hufschmid
 

Scenography

Kläfiger muséographie
 

Visual Identity

Notter & Vigne
 


Partners

The exhibition is a joint production by the MICR and the Rencontres d’Arles photography festival. The works presented here are from the collections of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum (MICR), the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).

The exhibition received funding from the Swiss Confederation, the Republic and Canton of Geneva and the City of Geneva.


Introduction to the exhibition

Humanitarian action has been represented in photographs for nearly 160 years. Ever since the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) was founded in 1863, photography – invented only a few decades earlier, in 1839 – has served to document the situation on the ground and reveal the human dramas that unfold there. The power of images is undeniable. Whether taken by humanitarian workers or professionals sent into the field, photos play a key role in raising funds, recruiting volunteers and keeping the public informed.

To HEAL A WORLD lifts the veil on the vast photography collections held by the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. The collections include both public images intended for mass communication and confidential ones for internal use. Big names from the prestigious Magnum Photos agency can be found alongside countless anonymous photo-takers. All aim to draw attention and spark emotion by revealing the suffering of the innocent: refugees, prisoners of war and other people in distress.

Photographs serve to inform, but they also affect how we understand the events they depict. They make us think we understand a situation, forgetting what might lie just outside the frame and the filters used on the image. How we interpret them depends on culture, context and labelling. The human gaze, whether the photographer’s or the viewer’s, is never neutral. Moreover, a photograph’s meaning can change over the years. What was considered indisputable at one time may not be so self-evident today.

By guiding us through a unique historical collection, To HEAL A WORLD encourages us to reflect on how we perceive humanitarian imagery – both past and present.


The chapters of the exhibition

  • Rallying
  • Showing
  • Bearing witness
  • Reassessing
  • Sharing

Media Contact

North Communication

Romaine Travelletti
Tel. +41 79 580 73 36
romaine@north-communication.ch


Ressourcen der Ausstellung

© Notter+Vigne

© Julien Gremaud

© Julien Gremaud

© Julien Gremaud

© Julien Gremaud

© Julien Gremaud

© Julien Gremaud

© Julien Gremaud



L'exposition


Communiqué de presse


Partenaires


Introduction au parcours de l'exposition


Relations presse


Ressourcen der Ausstellung

© Laure Rogemond (Paris)

© Nicolas Righetti

© Nicolas Righetti

© Nicolas Righetti

© Nicolas Righetti

© Nicolas Righetti

© Nicolas Righetti

© Nicolas Righetti