Installation
21.8.–31.10.26
The decision to feature a light installation to kick off this series of commissions serves as a proud tribute to one of the true pioneering stories from the early days of winter tourism: After visiting the 1878 World’s Fair in Paris, the Samedan-based hotel pioneer Johannes Badrutt was so fascinated by the possibilities of the new electric lighting systems showcased at the fair that he commissioned a small water turbine in St. Moritz that very same year. Soon after, in the summer of 1879, the first electric carbon arc lamps installed in Switzerland illuminated the Belle Époque halls of the Kulm Hotel in St. Moritz—the first electric light in Switzerland.
Italian artist Marinella Senatore will bring our REFLECTION project to life in 2026 with two site-specific light installations titled I CONTAIN MULTITUDES. Local languages and references are reflected in “illuminated” quotations developed in dialogue with the community through writing workshops involving 70 participants. The installations will be activated and inaugurated in collaboration with a variety of local associations and groups during a public parade on August 21, 2026.
The multidisciplinary artist, trained in music, visual arts, and film, draws on collective and participatory elements from her immediate surroundings in her work. By involving the local community in her research and in the activation of her installations, the artist weaves local experiences and stories into the narratives of her works. The creative process sparks conversation and gives people a voice. In this way, collaboration leads to transformation. The artist’s interventions function as generators of energy and light and, through her understanding of language as an electrical current, can be described as site-specific repositories for vocal memories of meaningful, inclusive processes of exchange.
Schreibworkshop
For her light installations in St. Moritz, Marinella Senatore drew inspiration from the local area and invited interested residents of St. Moritz to contribute their thoughts and quotes during a writing workshop, so that she could literally “bring them to life.”
During the gatherings at the youth center, in Inge Fehlbaum’s open studio in St. Moritz, and at the retirement home, the stories and thoughts shared gave rise to thoughtful conversations that fostered collective reflection on topics such as community cohesion, individual participation, collective coexistence, and the inclusion of diverse groups, as well as identity, visibility, memory, emancipation, politics, freedom of assembly, and much more. From the collected quotes and thoughts, Marinella Senatore has made a selection that will be illuminated in light installations throughout the townscape of St. Moritz. And all the collected thoughts will be digitally archived and preserved on a website.