Ernst Scheidegger – MASI Lugano, Switzerland

In collaboration with Kunsthaus Zürich and Stiftung Ernst Scheidegger-Archiv, Zürich

Ernst Scheidegger (Rorschach, 1923-Zurich, 2016) is one of the most important photographers of the 20th century; a multifaceted, multilayered figure, the Swiss artist was also a painter, graphic designer and film director, and later, a gallery owner and publisher. A photojournalist – he worked with the renowned agency Magnum Photos – and habitué of the Parisian avant-garde art scene, Scheidegger is internationally known for his artist portraits, including his iconic one of Alberto Giacometti, a lifelong friend. MASI Lugano’s tribute to this eclectic artist – part of the celebrations for the centenary of his birth – springs from a collaboration between several institutions.

The exhibition traces Scheidegger’s photographic oeuvre, exploring two groups of works: a selection of early shots from 1945-1955, most of which have not been exhibited before, and his famous artist portraits, done on commission from the mid-1950s. In this second section of the exhibition, the photographic portraits are presented alongside a selection of works by the artists themselves.

The exhibition is accompanied by the publication “Ernst Scheidegger. Fotograf” with texts by Tobia Bezzola, Philippe Büttner, Helen Grob and Alessa Widmer. The German and English edition is published by Scheidegger & Spiess, the Italian edition by Edizioni Casagrande Bellinzona.