Inspired by a poem by African-American writer Nayyirah Waheed: “My mother was my first country. The first place I ever lived” the exhibition will showcase works, videos, and performances by various generations of Swiss-French artists such as Clara Alloing, Anna Barseghian, Marie Jose Burki, Marisa Cornejo, Fabiana De Barros, Anjesa Dellova, Kantarama Gahigiri, Vanna Karamaounas, Varduhi Khachatryan, Elisabeth Llach, Keiko Machida, Maria-Carmen Perlingeiro, Mai-Thu Perret, Carmen Perrin, Alexandra Roussopoulos, Davide-Christelle Sanvee, Vivianne Van Singer, as well as works by iconic international artists like Marina Abramović, Mona Hatoum, Kimsooja, Shirin Neshat, and Zineb Sedira, among others.

​

As a valuable record, a book of interviews with the participating artists will accompany this project, featuring interviews conducted by Nakhana Diakite Prats, a Malian curator and art critic living in France. Through these interviews, the author explores the notion of “home” in the context of migration and interculturality, where local roots blend with global influences to shape new forms of artistic expression.

​

"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, Genève