As a prologue to the Prague Quadrennial of Performance Design and Space taking place in June 2019, Pro Helvetia and HeK are jointly organising an artist talk and panel discussion. The Swiss contribution to the Quadrennial is commissioned by Pro Helvetia and focuses on the topic of hybrid and artificial landscapes. Fragmentin and KOSMOS Architects will create a performative scenographic landscape, designed as a platform to host different specific performances while presenting re-interpretable images of Switzerland through a variety of processes – combining digital technologies and ecological awareness.

For the artist talk taking place at HeK prior to the Quadrennial, Pro Helvetia has invited Leonid Slonimskiy of KOSMOS Architects and the members of Fragmentin David Colombini, Marc Dubois and Laura Perrenoud. In addition to the artists and the architect discussing their participation to the Prague Quadrennial, guest artist Aram Bartholl will join the conversation, presenting his work that often examines the impact of digital technologies and online activities on our perception of reality. The speakers will discuss digital and media-based art and address questions such as to what extent artistic works are able to reflect on the effects of media technologies. The aim is to explore the boundaries between digital and physical environments, to critically scrutinise the present and the effects of technologies on our everyday life.

Philippe Bischof, director of Pro Helvetia, will introduce the evening and Boris Magrini, curator at HeK, will moderate the event. The talk will take place in English.