Radhika Agarwala, Nicole Bachmann, Lukas Bärfuss, Ruma Choudhury, Santanu Debnath, Suman Dey, Mélanie Gugelmann, Michael Guenzburger, Thomas Kern, Naveen Kishore, Mara Züst
"there are tides in the body" evokes a powerful metaphorical connection between the natural world and the human condition. It suggests a rhythmic, cyclical quality to our physical and emotional experiences, reminiscent of the ocean's ebb and flow. This quote encapsulates the notion that our bodies are not merely vessels or biological constructs; rather, they resonate with the forces of nature, reflecting our inner lives and experiences. The exhibition brings in artists from Switzerland and India together, will explore the implications of the relationship between the body and nature, and how this interplay informs our sense of identity. Key writers, such as Virginia Woolf and Astrida Neimanis, provided valuable insights into these concepts, illustrating the depth of the connection between our bodies and the natural world.
The tides, driven by gravitational forces rooted in the moon and sun's positions, symbolize the inescapable rhythms present in all life forms. Much like the ocean's tides, human beings experience cycles of energy, emotion, and physicality. This correlation between natural phenomena and human existence underscores our interconnectedness with the natural world. Physiologically, our bodies respond to circadian rhythms dictated by environmental cues, such as light and temperature. These rhythms affect our sleep, mood, and overall health, illustrating how deeply intertwined we are with our surroundings.
Virginia Woolf coined the phrase in Mrs. Dalloway. In her novel, To the Lighthouse, however, she explores the intricate relationship between nature and human experience, particularly through the rhythm of the tides. The novel’s narrative alternates between moments of stillness and dynamic change, much like the shifting tides of the sea. For Woolf, the sea becomes a symbol of the passage of time and the cyclical nature of life. The characters reflect on their existence and emotional states, often correlated with the surrounding natural elements. Woolf’s lyrical prose invites readers to contemplate their own internal tides as they navigate through life, emphasizing the way external environments shape our inner worlds.
The phrase "there are tides in the body" further implies an inherent emotional landscape within us. Just as the ocean’s tides are influenced by the phases of the moon, our moods and feelings may be influenced by external factors such as our environment, relationships, and life experiences. This alignment illustrates the emotional volatility many individuals experience, suggesting that our feelings are transient and subject to change.
Astrida Neimanis, in her work, particularly in writings about bodies and water, highlights the ecological and emotional connections between the two. She emphasizes how water, a symbol of life itself, resonates with our emotional states. In her book, Bodies of Water, Neimanis posits that water serves as a reminder of our fluidity—both physically and emotionally. It reflects the idea that emotions can rise and fall like tides, echoing sentiments of joy, sorrow, anxiety, or calm. By acknowledging the emotional tides within us, individuals can cultivate self-awareness, enabling them to navigate their experiences with empathy and understanding.
The metaphor of tides also prompts a discussion about identity and self-perception. In contemporary society, identity is often viewed as a fixed concept; however, the idea of tides invites us to consider identity as dynamic and ever-evolving. Just as the tides change with the lunar phases, our identities may shift in response to personal growth, societal influences, and lived experiences. Woolf's explorations of self and identity in her essays and novels discover the multifaceted nature of character. In Orlando, for example, she pursues the concept of fluid identity across time periods, observing how societal roles can change and how individuals navigate their experiences through shifting identities. Similarly, Neimanis enriches this perspective by discussing how understanding our identities as inherently tied to our environments—to the waters we inhabit—can add layers of complexity to how we view ourselves and our relationships with others.
The phrase "there are tides in the body" serves as a profound metaphor for the interconnectedness of human experience with the rhythms of nature. It highlights the physiological cycles that govern our lives, reflects the emotional flux we encounter, and challenges the notion of fixed identity and our place within nature. By acknowledging the tides within us, we can cultivate a deeper understanding of ourselves and our relationships with the world around us. In embracing this interconnectedness, we honor not only our individual journeys but also our collective human experience. Understanding our alignment with nature, as explored in Woolf’s literature and Neimanis’s ecological perspectives, could lead to a more harmonious existence, where we flow with the tides rather than resist them. Ultimately, this recognition of our ties to the natural world invites us to re-assess ourselves as living organisms within a living organism.
Damian Christinger
2024
Bio-notes
CURATOR
Damian Christinger, born in 1975 in Zurich, studied Global Art History and Intercultural Studies. He works as an independent curator, writer, and lectures at different institutions on transcultural theory and practice, the Anthropocene and indigenous knowledge. In October 2023 he co-curated the show ‘Spatial Solidarities’ with Studio Other Spaces, Olafur Eliasson and Sebastian Behmann, examining the role of architecture, art, and design in sustainability at das Gelbe Haus, Flims, and in December 2023 co-curated (with Ravi Agarwal) an exhibition titled ‘Time as a Mother’ for the Serendipity Festival in Goa. His latest essays appeared in publications like Artreview, Kunstbulletin, Diaphanes Magazine, and On-Curating. He serves on the board of the Shyama Foundation, Delhi, the advisory board of Re-Source, the sustainability department of the University of the Arts, Zurich, and the board of ILEA (Institute for Land and Environmental Art), Switzerland. He is also a curatorial advisor for the Safiental Biennale 2024, Switzerland, the Kirloskar Foundation, Pune, India, and the Bergen Assembly 2025, Norway. Damian Christinger lives and works in Zurich and across the globe.
ARTISTS
Radhika Agarwala, born in 1985 in Kolkata, completed her MFA in Fine Art from Goldsmiths, University of London, MFA in Painting from School of Fine Art, University of Florida and Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Painting from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago followed by BFA in Painting from Rabindra Bharati University, Faculty of Visual Arts, Kolkata.
Her works have been exhibited for ‘Gold.Silver’,at Church of San martin Obispo, Spain, curated by Jasone Miranda-Bilbao, ‘Kaee Kolkata City Lab, Kaee Contemporary, Kolkata ,curated by Premjish Achari, ‘Weathering With You’ at Frestonian Gallery, London, ‘Planetary Scale', curated by Jasone Miranda-Bilbao at Filet, London, ‘Luminous Reveries’, Travancore Palace, Delhi ,curated by Premjish Achari (2024),‘Art Dubai at Latitude 28 (2022) ,'When The Other Stares Back’, curated by Adwait Singh at Kaee Contemporary, Kolkata (2022), 'Memory Leaves' ,Curated by Uma Nair at Art Exposure, Kolkata (2022), ‘All The Days and Nights’ at Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery, London (2020), with Latitude 28 at Delhi Contemporary Art Week (2021-2017), India Art Fair (2023,2022,2019 & 2018); ‘Babur ki Gai’ (2018) and ‘G/rove’ (2017), 'Participate', Asians Arts Initiative (2014). Solo exhibits include 'For Two Lovers' (2013) & 'Encounter' (2012) at Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery, London. Agarwala’s artist residencies include 'Ancestral Futures', Galaxidi, Greece, initiative led by curator Damian Christinger (2023), Kaee Kolkata City Lab (KKCL), initiative led by curator Premjish Achari, Kaee Contemporary (2023), Atelierhaus Salzamt, Austria & Casa Dell'Arte, Turkey (2013). She has participated in the Saatchi Gallery Auction, London (2012) and was shortlisted for the 100 Painters of Tomorrow, by Kurt Beers, Cecily Brown & Jack Klein and Threadneedle Prize for Painting and Sculpture, UK (2013), Scholarship from Goldsmiths, University of London, Annual Scholarship from University OF Florida School of Art + Art History, U.S.A and Merit Scholarship from School of The Art Institute of Chicago.
Agarwala currently lives and works in Goa.
Nicole Bachmann, born in 1973, works across video, text, sound, installation, and performance, to investigate the wider socio-political impact of how meaning is made and who has access to making it. Her practice is grounded in writing which serves as initial material for her performances and sculptures reflecting her interest in utterance and performative text. She holds a Diploma in Fine Art from Zurich University of the Arts (2007) and an MFA in Fine Art from Goldsmiths, University of London (2010). Her awards Include: Nomination for the Prix litteraire Bernard Heidsieck-Centre Pompidou 2022; Swiss Art Awards, shortlisted (2019); Freiraumstipendium, Zurich, CH (2018); Werkbeitrag, Stadt Zurich, winner (2015 & 2018); Art Prize 2008, Nationale Suisse (2008); Swiss Design Award (2003).
Bachmann has been exhibited internationally at galleries, institutions, biennials and fairs, including: 10th Edition of Whitstable Biennial, UK; Singapore Biennale (2019), SG; Bündner Kunstmuseum, Chur, CH; Performance Exchange, London (with VITRINE,2022); Berlin Espace Diaphanes, Berlin; Whitechapel Gallery, London, UK; ICA, London, UK; Kunsthalle St.Gallen, CH; Eastside Projects, Birmingham, UK; Darling Foundation, Montreal, CA; Zabludowicz Collection, London, UK; Helmhaus Stadt Zürich, CH; Tenderpixel, London, UK; Block Universe, Performance Art Festival, London, UK; Helmhaus Museum, Zurich, CH; Turner Contemporary, Margate, UK; Modern Art Oxford, Oxford, UK; Kunsthalle Basel, Basel, CH; Istituto Svizzero Rome, IT; Haus der Kunst Uri, Altdorf, CH; LUX Artists’ Moving Image, London, UK; Art Hall Tallinn, Tallinn, EE; Last Tango, Zürich, CH; New York Art Book Fair, MoMA PS1, USA; Videotank, Zurich, CH; Cabinett in Kallio Kunsthalle, Helsinki, FI; Centre Culturel Suisse, Paris, FR; Mimosa House, London, UK; E-Werk Freiburg, Freiburg, DE; TOPIC, Geneva, CH; VITRINE, London, UK and Basel, UK; Espace Diaphanes Zürich, CH; Performance Exchange 2022; Baloise Kunst Forum, Basel, CH; Museum für Gestaltung, Zürich, CH.
Nicole Bachmann works and lives between Zurich, CH and London, UK.
Lukas Bärfuss, born in 1971, in Thun, Switzerland, is a playwright and novelist, essayist and dramaturg. In 1998, he co-founded the independent theatre group 400asa. His plays are performed worldwide and his novels have been translated into more than twenty languages. He was awarded as the best young dramatist for ‘The Sexual Neuroses of Our Parents’ (2003), Mülheimer Dramatikerpreis (2005) for the play Der Bus (Das Zeug einer Heiligen). He received numerous prizes, including the Georg Büchner Prize (2019), Johann-Peter-Hebel-Preis (2016), the Nicolas Born Prize (2015), the Swiss Book Prize/Schweizer Buchpreis (for Koala, 2014), Solothurner Literaturpreis (2014), the Berlin Literature Prize (2013). In 2019, Lukas Bärfuss was awarded the GeorgBüchner Prize.
Among many theatrical productions, ‘Luther’ premiered at the Nibelungen Festival, Worms, Germany (2021); ‘Julien – Red and Black’ at the Theatre Basel, Switzerland (2020), ‘The Elephant Spirit’ was performed at the National Theater Mannheim, Germany (2018). Luke Bärfuss is a member of the German Academy for Language and Poetry. One of Bärfuss’ recent title ‘Malinois’ was released in 2019.
Lukas Bärfuss lives and works in Zurich.
Ruma Choudhury, born in 1990 in Birbhum, West Bengal, completed her BFA and MFA in painting from Kala Bhavan, Visva Bharati. She is a recipient of India Artist Relief Fund, MAP in partnership with 1 Santhiroad, 2021; Musui Art Foundation scholarship, 2020; Best Painting Award at Academy of Fine Arts Award, Kolkata (2016); National scholarship (2015-16). She has been part of several exhibitions including ‘ALL THAT IS HIDDEN - Mapping Departures in Landscape, Terrains and Geographies’ at Emami Art Gallery, Kolkata, 2024; ‘Departure’ at Ganges Art Gallery, Kolkata, conceptualized by Prasanta Sahu, 2020; ‘Kolkata Festival’ Calcutta Pavlov Hospital in collaboration with ‘A CIMA Art awards 2019’; ‘Inside the Fibre’ at Artsacre Foundation, Kolkata curated by Soma Bhowmik, 2019; ‘Raconteur’ at A.M. (Art Multi-disciplines) studio, Kolkata, 2018; ‘Images and impressions: Profile and persona of Pranab Mukherjee’ at Academy of Fine Arts, Kolkata, 2017; ‘I am’ at A.M. (art Multi- disciplines) studio, Kolkata curated by Ushmita Sahu. Her featured solo performances include, ‘h-airy strokes’ at Gallery Onkaf, New Delhi; ‘Multi hues’ at Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi, 2018.
She is currently working as an independent researcher and conducting paper making workshops with Suchana Foundation, 2020 and Arts Acre Foundation, Kolkata, 2019. She was also a part of Barbil Art Project III organized by Utsha and Arys, Odisha and conducted a paper making workshop in the project curated by Ushmita Sahu, 2017.
Choudhury currently lives and works in Santiniketan.
Santanu Debnath, born in 1995 in Betpukur, a village in West Bengal, completed his BFA and MFA in Painting from the Rabindra Bharati University and Government College of Art and Craft, Kolkata, respectively. He has participated in several group shows, ‘100 Yuva Sumbhava’, Raza Foundation (2022), ‘Imaginarium1.0’ at Emami Art, Kolkata (2021), GCAC Annual Exhibition (2019-2021), KCC Art Fair (2019); West Bengal State Academy, Kolkata (2018-19); ICAD Annual Exhibition, Kolkata (2015-2018); Institute de Chandannagar, Hooghly (2017); among others. He was featured on an online solo show ‘The Simple Life’ at Emami Art, Kolkata (2020) and After Cities Fall at Nippon Gallery, Mumbai (2020). He has won the Gita Das Award at GCAC Annual Exhibition (2019) and Certificate of Merit in the West Bengal State Academy Annual Exhibition (2018-19). He is the recipient of the prestigious Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin Scholarship (2020-2021).
Debnath recently concluded a three months Monsoon Residency at the Space Studio Baroda with an Open Studio Exhibition at the end.
Santanu Debnath lives and works in Betpukur and Kolkata.
Suman Dey, born in 1981 in Kolkata, is a self-taught artist, who works in the language of abstract art. Dey has exhibited widely in India. His recent solo show ‘The Lost Fragrance of Memory’ was at Emami Art, Kolkata in 2023. His prior solo shows include Taj Bengal, Kolkata, 2011 and 2014; Academy of Fine Arts, Kolkata, 2014; ECA Art Walk, Kolkata, 2011; and Chemould Art Gallery, Kolkata, 2008. His duo exhibitions include Academy of Fine Arts, Kolkata, 2009 and 2015, Silpi Art Gallery, Kolkata, 2008. He has participated in numerous group exhibitions including The Annual Exhibition at Birla Academy of Art and Culture, Kolkata, 2022, 2018, 2017, and 2016; India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, 2018; State Gallery of Art, Hyderabad, 2017; Lalit Kala Academy, Bhubaneshwar, 2016 and 2017; Annual Exhibition at Academy of Fine Arts, Kolkata, 2016 and 2017; Emami Chisel Art All India Exhibition, Kolkata, 2016 and 2017; Annual Exhibition organised by the Rajya Charukala Parshad, 2016 and 2017. Dey was awarded the Jury’s Special Mention Award by Birla Academy of Art and Culture, Kolkata in 2022 and the Certificate of Merit by Emami Chisel Art, Kolkata in 2017.
Suman Dey lives and works in Kolkata, India.
Mélanie Gugelmann, born in 1970, is an established artist predominantly influenced by the nineteen eighties – a period of rapidly growing global capitalism, political upheaval, significant wealth discrepancy, global mass media and distinctive music and fashion, including electronic pop music and hip hop. It was also the era of the height of the Cold War and to the end of it, as marked by the fall of the Berlin Wall and important art movements as Neo Geo, The Pictures Generation and the international trend of Neo-Expressionism which manifested in Germany, the USA and Italy (where it was known as Transavanguardia). Gugelmann is an alumnus of Fashion Design School B, Zurich (1989-1991) and Higher School of Design (1993-1997). She spent years commuting and working in Paris (1991), Bilbao (1995-1996), Boston (2001), and Berlin (2005-2002). She received Art Award 2002 from Canton of Zurich, 2002. She was featured solo at several international exhibitions including, ‘Substitute Berlin’ (2012) at Serge Ziegler Gallery, Zurich (2009) and New York (2007), ‘Berlin-Dublin’, Taché Lévy Gallery, Brussels, (2007), ‘Road Dream., Serge Ziegler Gallery, Zurich (2005), ‘Journey across the Ocean to another World’, Exhibition room 25, Zurich (2005), ‘showcase’, ‘A Fool is sitting in my heart’, Philipp Späti, les Complices, Zurich, 2003, ‘Cityscapes’, Serge Ziegler Gallery, Zurich (2002). Amongst Gugelmann’s long list of group exhibitions, ‘supernatural powers’, curated by Damian Christinger (2023), ‘Moutier’ (2022) and ‘Steffisburg’ (2021), Gran Prix du Bern, ‘Hermes Trismegistos Dreams of Futures within Futures’ curated by Damian Christinger, Hallway (2021) and ‘Morphologies: A Tale of Two Suns’ curated by Damian Christinger, Wyss Academy for Nature, Bern (2021) are significant.
She has been featured at several art fairs including, Art Paris (2008, 2006, 2005), Art Fair Brüssels (2007, 2006, 2005), and Art Basel, Paris (2006, 2005, 2004). Mélanie Gugelmann lives and works in Interlaken, Switzerland.
Michael Günzburger, born in 1974, pursues a playful research, publication, and exhibition as practice. The production processes of drawings and prints with their collaborative forms, materials and research formats is at the focus of his work. He has a long-standing practice in making art in collaborations with persons from crafts and sciences as a critical and social practice. How things come together, stay together and dissolve again is a driving force behind his work, connecting his PhD Thesis ‘Printing with Chimera – of letting go expectations’ (Linz/Zürich, 2023. with Prof. Florian Dombois) with ‘UPROAR’, a Performance Sculpture in Collaboration with Choreographer Simone Aughterlony. His multi-faceted materials are exhibited in galleries, museums, art spaces and public places in Switzerland as well as abroad. Günzburger has received several awards, including the Recognition Prize of the Foundation for Graphic Arts in Switzerland, the Monograph Prize of the Canton of Bern, as well as travel and research grants by the Swiss Arts Council.
Since 2012, the artist has published several monographs besides exhibition catalogs: among them ‘Plots’ (2012), with recipes by Raphael Urweider, and ‘Contact’ (2018), in collaboration with Lukas Bärfuss, both published by Edition Patrick Frey. Günzburger lives and works in Zurich.
Thomas Kern, born in 1965, in Brugg, Switzerland, is a documentary photographer and artist. Trained as a photographer in Zürich, he started working as a photojournalist in 1989, active in Northern Ireland, Kurdistan, the Middle East, former Yugoslavia, and the US, among others. He was a founder of the Swiss photographer’s agency Lookat Photos in 1990. From 1998– 2006 he lived and worked as a freelance photographer in San Francisco. In 1997 he traveled to Haiti for the first time, on assignment with the journal du. A central theme of his work has been the effects of war and conflict on everyday life, for example in Northern Ireland, Kurdistan, the former Yugoslavia and Haiti. In 2006 and 2014 he was honoured with the Swiss Press Award, and in 1996 with the World Press Photo Award in the categories ‘Daily Life, Individual Photos’, and ‘Daily Life, Stories’ and has been awarded several Swiss national scholarships. His work has been widely exhibited and it is represented in various collections including the Art Collection of the Deutsche Bank, the collection of the Fotostiftung Schweiz and the Friends of the Fotostiftung Schweiz.
His works have been published several editorials including the Das Magazin, DU - Zeitschrift für Kultur, Brigitte, Der Spiegel, The New Yorker, Time Magazine, USNews and World Report, Forbes, The Industry Standard, Wire, The Independent, The Guardian and The Observer Magazine; his clientele include Google, Logitech, Audi Research Lab, Mercedes Benz, SWISS Magazine and Catpix, Film Productions among others.
Naveen Kishore, born in 1953 in Kolkata is an acclaimed Indian poet, photographer, filmmaker, theatre lighting designer and publisher. He is the recipient of the Goethe Medal (2013), the Chevalier Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. He was also awarded with the Words Without Borders Ottoway Award for Promoting International Literature (2021) and the first Cesare De Michelis Award (2022).
Kishore has extensively documented female impersonators from Manipuri, Bengali and Punjabi theatre practices. In particular, he photographed Chapal Bhaduri, a female impersonator of the Bengali folk theatre, ‘Jatra’, in a project entitled ‘Performing the Goddess’, of which, some pictures were exhibited as suits, titled - ‘Woman/Goddess’ and ‘The Green Room of the Goddess’ in pathbreaking exhibitions including ‘Greenroom of the Goddess’, Solo exhibition at Chatterjee and Lal, 2021, Mumbai; ‘Moving Still: Performative Photography in India’ at Vancouver Art Gallery, Vancouver, Canada, 2019. His performance photographs from Manipur entitled ‘The Epic and the Elusive’, curated by Ranjit Hoskote were exhibited at Cymroza Art Gallery. Mumbai, 2022. More recently three bodies of his work including the post-Godhra in Gujarat images were exhibited under the title, ‘In A Cannibal Time: Photographs by Naveen Kishore’, at Emami Art in collaboration with Chatterjee and Lal, 2023; The ‘Performing the Goddess’ photographs and the film are also in the collection of both the Cincinnati Art Museum and the Smithsonian in the USA.
Naveen Kishore established Seagull Books in 1982, a publishing program in the arts and media focusing on drama, film, art, culture studies. In 1987, Kishore set up the Seagull Foundation for the Arts as a non-profit charitable trust. Kishore has had his poems published with Scroll.in, Queen Mob’s Tea House, Beltway Poetry Quarterly, Another Chicago Magazine, RIC Journal, Gargoyle, Poetry at Sangam, Sylph Editions, London, Gazebo Books, Australia, Speaking Tiger, Delhi amongst others. ‘Knotted Grief’ a collection of his poems was published in 2021. His most recent publication is his second book of poems – ‘Mother Muse Quintet’. Kishore lives and works in Calcutta, India.
Mara Züst, born in 1976, in Switzerland, is an artist, cultural educator and researcher. She holds a diploma in Design (Visual Communication FH / Theorie der Gestaltung und Kunst, ZHdK), a Masters in Art History with a minor in Modern History from the University of Zurich and a CAS in Arts and International Cooperation (ZHdK). She publishes feminist books that artistically combine research, text, and images in a unique design, of which ‘Doris Stauffer Sourcebook’, 2025 and ‘Denn wenn Chloe Olivia mag’, 2022 deserves mention. Her art weaves together her various practices – from mediation to research – often with elements of printmaking and a collaborative approach. Züst’s selected awards and grants include, Best Book Design World, 2024 by Stiftung Buchkunst and as one of the 15 Most Beautiful Austrian Books award, 2022, for ‘Denn wenn Chloe Olivia mag’; Co-creation project grant by Pro Helvetia (with Habib Afsar and Ipshita Maitra), 2023; Work contribution by Pro Helvetia for ’Bewitching Source Material’, 2023; the 100 Beste Plakate 21 for poster series ‘Mini-Zine-Library’, 2021; the Walter Tiemann Main Prize for her literary work ’Kolkata—City of Print’, 2019; Project grant by Pro Helvetia for ‘Mini-Zine-Library’, 2018; the ‘The Most Beautiful German Books 2011’ for ‘ Doris Stauffer. Eine Monografie’, 2016. Züst was Artist in Residence at Pathshala South Media Institute, Dhaka (Bangladesh), for the project ’Chapakhana Archive’ in 2021. Mara Züst lives and works in Zurich.
