Peter Wüthrich

For almost 30 years, Peter Wüthrich's artistic work has revolved around books.
His studio is like a library where books are collected, stacked and sorted.

Peter Wüthrich sees books as people, which they ultimately are. The book bundles in itself human knowledge, insights, reflections, dreams, longings, feelings and fears.
To read a book is to immerse oneself in the author's world.
Thus, the book is a mediator between the author and us, the reader.
It is a mediator between the real and the imaginary.
The whole dimension of the power of imagination is of great importance to Peter Wüthrich.
Thus, to imagine means to conceive and to create. And this unique power makes human beings what they are: creative beings who can create themselves and their world anew.

A book is therefore always a "creation of a world". For Peter Wüthrich it makes no difference whether it is trivial literature or world classics. The ability to create worlds and realities comes to full fruition in every book. Hence Peter Wüthrich works with books of the most varied 'couleurs' in order to reflect the diversity and colourfullness of human existence and life - profound, philosophical, banal, emotional, theoretical, funny, dramatic, sprawling, succinct, sensual, etc. - in every book.

ARTWORKS

twobooks 2019-22

2 books each fixed together
ca 30.0 x 25.0 cm

Copyright the artist

twobooks 2019-22

2 books each fixed together
ca 30.0 x 25.0 cm

Copyright the artist

twobooks 2019-22

2 books each fixed together
ca 30.0 x 25.0 cm

Copyright the artist

twobooks 2019-22

2 books each fixed together
ca 30.0 x 25.0 cm

Copyright the artist

twobooks 2019-22

2 books each fixed together
ca 30.0 x 25.0 cm

Copyright the artist

twobooks 2019-22

2 books each fixed together
ca 30.0 x 25.0 cm

Copyright the artist

twobooks 2019-22

2 books each fixed together
ca 30.0 x 25.0 cm

Copyright the artist

twobooks 2019-22

2 books each fixed together
ca 30.0 x 25.0 cm

Copyright the artist

twobooks 2019-22

2 books each fixed together
ca 30.0 x 25.0 cm

Copyright the artist

Literary Portraits 2017-22

Drawings, mixed media
53.0 x 44.0 cm

Copyright the artist

Literary Portraits 2017-22

Drawings, mixed media
53.0 x 44.0 cm

Copyright the artist

Literary Portraits 2017-22

Drawings, mixed media
53.0 x 44.0 cm

Copyright the artist

Literary Portraits 2017-22

Drawings, mixed media
53.0 x 44.0 cm

Copyright the artist

Literary Portraits 2017-22

Drawings, mixed media
53.0 x 44.0 cm

Copyright the artist

Literary Portraits 2017-22

Drawings, mixed media
53.0 x 44.0 cm

Copyright the artist

Literary Portraits 2017-22

Drawings, mixed media
53.0 x 44.0 cm

Copyright the artist

Literary Portraits 2017-22

Drawings, mixed media
53.0 x 44.0 cm

Copyright the artist

Literary Portraits 2017-22

Drawings, mixed media
53.0 x 44.0 cm

Copyright the artist

Literary Portraits 2017-22

Drawings, mixed media
53.0 x 44.0 cm

Copyright the artist

Literary Portraits 2017-22

Drawings, mixed media
53.0 x 44.0 cm

Copyright the artist

Literary Portraits 2017-22

Drawings, mixed media
53.0 x 44.0 cm

Copyright the artist

Literary Portraits 2017-22

Drawings, mixed media
53.0 x 44.0 cm

Copyright the artist

Literary Portraits 2017-22

Drawings, mixed media
53.0 x 44.0 cm

Copyright the artist

Literary Portraits 2017-22

Drawings, mixed media
53.0 x 44.0 cm

Copyright the artist

Literary Portraits 2017-22

Drawings, mixed media
53.0 x 44.0 cm

Copyright the artist

Cactus succulentus, literally 2016

Books and shelf
160.0 x 50.0 x 43.0 cm

Copyright the artist

Literary Bar, 2016

Bookcovers on bottles, fluid, shelf
30.0 x 200.0 x 15.0 cm

Copyright the artist

Pharmacie littéraire, 2017

Booktitles, bottles, tablets and fluids
50.0 x 70.0 x 20.0 cm

Copyright the artist

Literary Pharmacy, 2022

Display case, vials with various contents and book page labels
59.0 x 95.0 x 18.0 cm

Copyright the artist

Shortstories I, 2006

Various printing techniques together on handmade paper

Copyright the artist

Shortstories II, 2006

Various printing techniques together on handmade paper

Copyright the artist

Literary Smoke, 2016

Book cover on cigarette pack
25.0 x 25.0 x 4.0 cm

Copyright the artist

Photos by Patrik Graf & Artist

EXHIBITIONS

Peter Wüthrich

Shortstories and Twobooks

23rd May to 1st July, 2023

Peter Wüthrich

Echo der Welt

18th October - 1st December 2018

Summer Exhibition

Group Show

7th July - 8th September 2018

BIOGRAPHY

Born in Bern, 1962

Lives and works in Interlaken and Oberdiessbach.

1980-85 Schule für Gestaltung, HKB, Bern

Grants and Awards

1990-98 several Grants and Awards like the Wilhelm Lehmbruck Grant by the Lehmbruck Museum in Duisburg and the Country of Nordrhein-Westfalen; the Schloss Balmoral Grant in Koblenz or the Louise Aeschlimann-Corti Grant from Bern.  Since 1992 he realized various public artworks like in 2006 for the new Palais de la Justice in Strasbourg or 2012 for the new Building of the German Government (Deutscher Bundestag) in Berlin.

The Angels of the World

Since 1999, he is working on the ongoing public project „The Angels of the World“, which is realized till today in the following cities: Los Angeles, Santiago de Compostela, Milano, Mexico City, Madrid, London, Tokyo, Nagoya, Kyoto, Paris, Venice, Biel/Bienne, Sao Paulo, Santos, Thessaloniki, Lyon, Monaco, Yerewan, Giumry and Mumbai.

Works in Public Collections

FRAC Alsace, Sélestat, Sélestat; Fondation pour l’art contemporain Salomon, Annecy; Espace d’art contemporain HEC, Paris; Collection Croix Rouge, Monaco; BSI, Banca della Svizzera italiana, Monaco

Kunsthalle & Kunstverein Bremerhaven; Wilhelm Lehmbruck Museum, Duisburg; Suermondt-Ludwig Museum, Aachen; Ursula Blickle Stiftung, Karlsruhe; Skulpturenmuseum Glaskasten, Marl; Kunstsammlung des Deutschen Bundestages, Berlin; Städtisches Museum, Jena; OK Center for contemporary Art, Linz;

MART, Museo d’Arte Moderna e Contemporanea di Trento e Rovereto; ASSAB ONE, Milano;

State Museum of Contemporary Art, Thessaloniki; CGAC Centro Galego de Arte Contemporanea, Santiago de Compostela; Fundacion Beulas, Huesca; Biblioteca Vasconcelos, Mexico City; Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry;

UMCA University Museum of Contemporary Art, Massachusetts, Amherst; Magazzino Italian Art, Nancy & Giorgio Spanu Fondation, Garrison/NY; Fondation Jan Michalski, Montricher; Kunstsammlung Klinik Hirslanden, Zürich; Kunstsammlung Schweizerische Mobiliar, Bern; Kunst Zeug Haus, Rapperswil-Jona;

Graphische Sammlung, Nationalbibliothek, Bern; Kunstmuseum, Thun; Kunstmuseum, Solothurn;

Kunstsammlung des Kantons Bern

Solo Exhibitions (Selection)

2024 «40 Jahre Galerie Gisele Linder», Basel

2024 «Literary Paintings2, Galerie Christian Stein, Milano

2023 «Konkrete Buchologie», Multiple Art, Zürich

2023 «les mots et les choses», Galerie Kewenig, Berlin

2023 «shortstories & twobooks» Boutwell Schabrowsky Galerie, München

2023 “Guten morgen Mr. Bloom”, Galerie Vincenz Sala, Berlin

2022  „Zeile um Zeile“, Galerie Bernhard Bischoff, Bern

2022 KMD, Kunsthalle Marcel Duchamp, Cully

2021  Noire Galerie, Turin *

2021 Kunstraum Satellit, Thun

2021 Galerie Gisèle Linder, Basel

2020 DIP Contemporary, Lugano

2020 Galerie Bernhard Bischoff, Bern

2020 Videokunst Progr, Bern

2019 Helvetia Art Foyer, Basel

2019 Galerie Christian Stein, Milano

2019 Plutschow Gallery, Zürich

2019 Fondation Coelho, Geneve

2018 Susan Boutwell Galerie, München

2018 Laure Genillard Galerie, London

2017 Galerie Gisèle Linder, Basel

2017 Sebastian Fath Contemporary, Mannheim

2017 La Chartreuse de la Lance, Concise

2017 Galerie Bernhard Bischoff, Bern

2016 Galleria Cardi, Milano

2016 Atelier Les Copains, Milano

2015 Laure Genillard Gallery, London

2015 Plutschow Gallery, Zürich

2015 Galerie Vincenz Sala, Paris

2014 Galerie Gisèle Linder, Basel

2014 Galleria Christian Stein, Milano

2013 Galerie Vincenz Sala, Paris/Berlin

2013 Laure Genillard Gallery, London *

2012 Galeria Jule Kewenig, Palma de Mallorca *

2012 Kunsthalle Mannheim, Mannheim

2012 Espace d’art contemporain HEC, Paris *

2011 Galerie Alice Pauli, Lausanne

2011 St.Peter&Paul Projects, Bern

2010 Espace d’art contemporain HEC, Paris *

2010 Sebastian Fath Contemporary, Mannheim

2010 Galerie Annex, Bern

2009 Galleria Cardi, Pietrasanta

2009 Galleria Christian Stein, Milano *

2009 Galleria Cardi, Milano

2009 Galerie Jorge Alyskewycz, Paris *

2009 Assab One, Milano *

2008 Galleria Fumagalli, Bergamo

2008 Sebastian Fath Contemporary, Mannheim

2007 UMCA, University Museum of Contemporary Art, Massachusetts, Amherst

2007 Ham Gallery, Nagoya

2007 Laure Genillard Gallery, London

2006 ACE Gallery, Los Angeles

2006 Fondation pour l’art contemporain Salomon, Annecy

Group Exhibitions (Selection)

2023 “Weltwissen”, Hans Erni Museum, Luzern

2023 „De/Cipher”, Arti et Amicitiae, Amsterdam

2023 «Bibliomania», Städtische Galerie Bietigheim

2023 «30 years CGAC», Centro Galego de Arte Contemporanea, Santiago de Compostela

2023 “The Angels of the World”, Stadtkirche Thun

2023 “On Paper”, Galerie Bernhard Bischoff, Bern      

2022 “Bibliomania”, Kunstmuseum Villa Zanders, Bergisch Gladbach *

2022 «Contaminazione», Florenz Biennale/Area Theater, Florenz

2022 “Caminos I”, CGAC, Centro Galego de Arte Contemporanea, Santiago de Compostela *

2021 „Collezione Ghigi”, Museo Licini, Ascoli Piceno

2021 „sistema-dematerializzione-testo“,Galleria Fumagali, Milano

2020  „ContaminazioTorinone“, OGR, Turin

2020 “Auf ins Wolkenkuckucksheim”, OK, Offenes Kulturhaus, Linz *

2019 „Der Traum der Bibliothek“, Museum für Gegenwartskunst, Siegen

2019 “Monochrom”, Sebastian Fath Contemporary, Mannheim

2019 „Imago-Carl Spitteler”, Kunsthalle Palazzo, Liestal

2018 “Aufzeichnen”, Galerie Vincenz Sala, Berlin

2018 „Anders“, Kunstverein, Bremerhaven, Bremerhaven

2018 „Many roads“, Museo de Arte Contemporanea de Castilla y Leon

2018 Plutschow Gallery, Pontresia/St Moritz

2018 “Bocconi”, Bocconi Art Gallery, Milano

2018 “Cottidiana”, KunstZeugHaus, Rapperswil-Jona

2018 “Muchos Caminos”, Real Academia de Espana, Roma

2018 “Buchwelten”, Museum Sinclair-Haus, Bad Homburg*

2018 “Enchanter le reel”, BO, Le Bel Ordinaire, Billère

2018 “Jeunes Pousses”, Chateau de Vuillierens

2016 „Alrededor de una pasion“, Fundacion e Coleccion, RAC, Huarte

2016 „Sammlung Opitz-Hoffmann“, Städtisches Museum, Jena *

2016 „Höhenrausch 16-Andere Engel“, OK Center for contemporary Art, Linz *

2016 „Mixografia-Paper in Profile“, Georgia Museum of Art, Georgia *

2015 „Dickicht“,Kunsthalle Palazzo, Liestal *

2015 „Art Container“, Steffisburg *

2014 „Abre Alas“,A Gentil Carioca,Rio de Janeiro *

2014 „Index 4“, Galeria Hilario Galguera, Mexico City

2014 „20/200“Sarah Cottier Gallery, Sydney *

2014 „The way things go“, Oratorio Mercurio, Palermo

2014 „Paper i Cartro“, Galeria Kewenig, Palma *

2013 „Book Machine“, Centre Pompidou, Paris

2013 „Interno al libro“, Museo Poldi Pezzoli, Milano *

2013 „Aus der Sammlung“, Kunstmuseum Solothurn

2013 „4th Biennale Thessaloniki“, State Museum of contemporary Art, Thessaloniki *

2013 „Bookhouse“,MARCA Museo delle Arti Catanzaro*

2013 „Intro“, Oratorio di San Lorenzo, Palermo

2013 „In Series“, Palazzo Mauri, Spoletto *

2013 „Höhenrausch“, OK, Gegenwartskunst, Linz *

2013 „Trait Papier“, Centre d’Art contemporain, Yverdon-les-Bains

2013 „Erasme à son cher Beatus“, Bibliothèque Humaniste, Frac Alsace, Sélestat

2013 „Esprit du Lieu“, Galerie Antichambre, Chambéry

2012 „The mediterranean Approach“, SESC, Pinheiros, Sao Paulo *

2012 „Bücherhimmel“, Museum Strauhof, Zürich

2012 „Stille Zeichen“, Kunstverein Landau *

2012 „Arte svizzera dalla collezione della Mobiliare“, Museo Cantonale d’Arte, Lugano *

2012 „Minimallinie“, Kunsthalle Palazzo Liestal, Basel *

2012 „The mediterranean Approach“, MAC, Musée d’Art Contemporain, Marseille

2011 „The mediterranean Approach“, Palazzo Zenobio, 54th Biennale di Venezia *

2011 „Aftermath“, Chelsea Space, London *

2011 „Viaggiando“ Galleria Christian Stein, Milano

2011 „Doppelgänger“ Künstlerforum Bonn

2011 „Aftermath“ Chelsea Arts Club, London

2010 „Just love me“ Musée d’Art Moderne, Mudam, Luxembourg

2010 „Chromie“ Galerie Gisèle Linder, Basel

2009 „Aequatoria“, Galeria Hilario Galguera, Mexico City

2009 „Cold Press“ Page Bond Gallery, Richmond, Virginia

2009 „Presque Rien“ Laure Genillard Gallery, London

2009 „E altre storie“ Assab One, Milano

2009 „Carte Blanche“ Alessandra Bonomo Galleria, Rom

2009 „Mixografia“ Portland Museum, Portland

2009 „Books, books nothing else than books“ Ursula Blickle Stiftung, Kraichtal/Karlsruhe*

2008 „Book’ish“ Lewis Glucksman Gallery, Cork

2008 „Von der Kunst Sträusse zu binden“ Kunstmuseum Solothurn *

2008 „The Artists Library“, Centre d’art contemporain, Vassivière

2007 „ Presque Rien I“ Laure Genillard Gallery, London

2007 „Colleccion Josep Civit“ Fundacion Beulas, Huesca

2007 „Rubin“ Neues Museum, Nürnberg *

2007 „Los Barbaros“,Galeria Hilario Galguera,Mexico City

2007 „Cycle“ Aichi Prefectural Museum of Art, Nagoya *

2007 „Nuovi Spazi“ Galleria Christian Stein, Milano

2007 „Timer 01“, Triennale Bovisa, Milano *

2007 „Ejemplares“ Museo de Estampa, Mexico City

2006 „l’Art en conte“ FRAC Alsace, Sélestat

2006 „Biennale di Scultura“, Museo di Scultura, Carrara

2006 „Des Territoires“ FRAC Alsace, Sélestat

2006 „Letters own a book“ Ham Gallery, Nagoya

2006 „The Galleryshow“ Galleria Pilar Parra, Madrid

*Catalogue