HOME IS WHERE WE START FROM*
Contemporary Artists and Migration in French-speaking Switzerland and Elsewhere
Maison Tavel/MAH, Geneva
From February 19 to August 31, 2025, an exhibition highlighting the inherent singularities of the works of 26 women artists, shaped by their identity and culture, inherited from the first, second, and sometimes even the third generation of immigrants.
Carouge/Geneva
On the occasion of International Women’s Day, the town of Carouge, nearby Geneva, will host performances, debates, film screenings, and concerts during the weekend of March 8 and 9, 2025 to celebrate the resilience and creativity of women artists, along with workshops involving artists and immigrant women’s associations in Geneva.
Participating Artists Marina Abramović, Clara Alloing, Anna Barseghian, Marie José Burki, Marisa Cornejo, Fabiana de Barros, Anjesa Dellova, Silvina Der-Meguerditchian, Elena El Asmar, Ekene Emeka-Maduka, Kantarama Gahigiri, Margherita Giust i & Selinna Ajamikoko, Mona Hatoum, Vanna Karamaounas, Varduhi Khachatryan, Kimsooja, Elisabeth Llach, Keiko Machida, Shirin Neshat, Rosana Palazyan, Maria-Carmen Perlingeiro, Mai-Thu Perret, Carmen Perrin, Alexandra Roussopoulos, Davide-Christ elle Sanvee, Iris Sara Schiller, Zineb Sedira, Maria Tsagkari, Vivianne van Singer.
Kimsooja,"Bottari truck : migrateurs", 2009
Mona Hatoum, Untitled (rack), 2011 Courtesy Galerie Chantal Crousel
Marie José Burki, "Where was I born and what is my name", 2017 Courtesy the artist and Xippas Gallery Geneva
Kimsooja,"Bottari truck : migrateurs", 2009
my
mother
was
my first country.
The first place i ever lived.
Nayyirah Waheed
"Home is where we start from" is a contemporary art project that begins in the Canton of Geneva to celebrate the voices of women artists when they are confronted with intercultural priorities and the impact of migration. The project aims to highlight the inherent singularities in the artistic creation of women, shaped by their identity and culture, inherited from the first, second, and sometimes even the third generation of immigrants.
The title is inspired by a work by the psychoanalyst D.W. Winnicott, who wrote in an article in 1971: “...By using the word ‘culture,’ I am thinking of the tradition one inherits. I am thinking of something that is the common pool of humanity to which individuals and groups can contribute and from which each of us can take something.”
The project will delve into the memories of lost, abandoned, or reshaped identities, exploring notions of separation, displacement, survival, and rebirth, themes deeply rooted in the experiences of female immigrant artists as they find a new home. This newfound home becomes the space where creativity can once again express itself. The question of place holds fundamental importance in the transmission of culture, encompassing both the spiritual dimension, ideas, daydreams, and the physical locations that facilitate these cultural exchanges.
Culture can only thrive if it finds spaces that foster encounters between diverse perspectives. As Arthur Rimbaud eloquently expressed, “Je est un autre” (I am another), we are intrinsically driven to seek encounters with the other, to discover facets of ourselves that remain unknown, whose features we can only guess at but yearn to understand further.
The movement of people, traditions, beliefs, and artistic practices across borders continually influence one another. Immigration irrigates culture and economy in all its aspects, including visual art, literature, music, architecture, design, fashion, popular arts, cooking, and more. These rich interactions serve as vital vectors for the development of individual creativity, fostering perspectives, self-esteem, and growth of positive energies.
Overall, Home is where we start from not only celebrates women artists’ resilience and creativity but also underscores the continuous interconnection and influence of diverse cultures in each other. It addresses significant societal themes, such as the impacts of migration on development and the importance of cultural exchange, making it a timely and relevant exhibition that prompts reflection and understanding.
Adelina von Fürstenberg, ART for The World, Geneva