From Killjoys to Joys’ Sparks
15.04: H14:00-20:00
16.04.-20.04: H10:00-20.00
21.04: H10:00-18:00
15.04: H14:00-20:00
16.04.-20.04: H10:00-20.00
21.04: H10:00-18:00
From Killjoys to Joys’ Sparks
by Fatima Wegmann Guinassi & Karen Pisoni
As part of the House of Switzerland on the occasion of Milan Design Week
How can ‘joy’ – the theme of the House of Switzerland – manifest itself in the framework of artistic practices, but also in the current socio-political context?
Istituto Svizzero invites the artist, producer, scholar and DJ Fatima Wegmann Guinassi and the designer and scenographer Karen Pisoni to explore various aspects of ‘joy’, together they have created an immersive space that allows a moment of reflection and contemplation. The artist and the designer share the view that ‘joy’ is always an active choice that we opt for and that this decision for joy is always also inherent in a resistant political gesture. Fatima and Karen also explored the figure of the ‘killjoy’, which feminist theorist Sara Ahmed describes as a rebellious character who raises her voice against sexism and discrimination. Karen Pisoni focuses on the various sensitive levels of joy, which can also manifest itself as a real physical sensation in the haptics of materials or in the feeling of light. The figure of the killjoy appears in her animal figures, which rise up with tongues of fire. Fatima Wegmann Guinassi fills the space with the expressly composed audio piece Godspeed, in which she continues her research into the potential of science fiction storytelling: How can we fabulate collectively about a joyful and lustful future by drawing on fictional speculation in a bleak present?
House of Switzerland (15-21.04.2024) is a joint project run by the Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia in partnership with the Swiss Design Association, the Consulate General of Switzerland in Milan, Casa degli Artisti and the media partners Disegno and Monocle.
Thanks to HEAD – Genève for supporting Karen Pisoni.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
15.04.2024 – 21.04.2024
15.04.2024: H14:00-20:00
16.04.2024-20.04.2024: H10:00-20.00
21.04.2024: H10:00-18:00
Reception 16.04.2024 18:00-20:00
Istituto Svizzero
Via del Vecchio Politecnico 3, Milano
Free entry, no registration required
For press inquires, please contact press@istitutosvizzero.it
Fatima Wegmann Guinassi is a Geneva-based artist, researcher, producer and DJ (aka ven3mo). She is interested in exploring notions of transformation and enchantment through sound, poetry and science fiction. Her work progresses as a kind of chain reaction, triggered when experiencing and exploring the world, constructing games of coincidence and a personal mythology. She graduated from the CCC (Critique, Curatoriel, Cybernétique) research Master’s program at HEAD Geneva in 2019. As an artist, she has been collaborating with visual artist Ali-Eddine Abdelkhalek, and together they have created sound installations/performances. Her work has been presented at Alienze (Lausanne) in May 2019, at Voiture14 (Marseille) in August 2019, at Cherish (Geneva) in November 2019, at HIT (Geneva) in May 2021, at CAN – Centre d’art contemporain de Neuchâtel in March 2022 and at one gee in fog (Geneva) in August 2022. Her latest major collective project entitled “Can You Feel the Drift” was presented at Théâtre de l’Usine in December 2021 and at l’Arsenic (Lausanne) in November 2022.
Karen Pisoni is a Swiss-Mexican designer and scenographer who explores the boundaries between light, space, and materials, while questioning past and present symbols with a strong commitment to storytelling. Her work finds expression in a variety of projects that merge art, design, and craftsmanship, with a particular focus on multidisciplinary processes. Whether designing retail spaces, movie sets, or event scenography, she seamlessly integrates art and set design into her creations, collaborating closely with artisans and fellow artists. Her professional journey began with a graphic design apprenticeship, followed by earning a bachelor’s degree in Media and Interaction Design from ECAL – Lausanne. She further refined her skills at HEAD – Geneva, completing the MAIA program in 2021 (Master in Interior Architecture). Karen Pisoni resides and works in Lausanne and has recently joined the Pulse Incubator HES, where she leads the Pisoni–lab, a project dedicated to creating sustainable scenography solutions with an inclusive approach.