Die Wüste Lebt

2015 I Zürich I Galerie Baviera

Die Wüste Lebt (The Living Desert) was an exhibition about the youth movement of Zürich. I was asked to curate the works of the photographer, Miklós Klaus Rózsa, who documented every move of the times. For six months, I researched through the endless folders of photographs about demonstrations, squats, parties and everyday life of the revolutionary youth. Then, I  highlighted five topics that I found most relevant from a contemporary point of view. The major part was about women’s movement. I exhibited the documentation of; women’s strike days, the first female Swiss wrestling competition, and a women’s refuge established in a squat. The next big topic was the artistic creativity of demonstrations and parties. I showcased how expressive clothing and graphic design converted punk concerts into artworks of theatre, and how eye-catching the similar elements were for the media. Another part, was about the environmental impacts of the movement: they demonstrated against nuclear power, and they hindered cruel real estate investments in the heart of the city. The last section focused on the relationship between the city and its migrants. I displayed documentaries about the difficulties of the first generation of Italian migrants, but also, how Zürichers learned how to dance on the street and how to cook pasta with garlic.