Events

Vernissage of the exhibition Waii, The Engraved Work of Dennis Nona

The vernissage of "Waii, The Engraved Work of Dennis Nona, Torres Strait Islands, Australia" took place on Saturday, 2nd June 2012 in the presence of the artist. Over 150 people admired Dennis Nona's outstanding technique and his beautifully intricate linocuts and etchings. It is Dennis Nona's first exhibition in Switzerland and is organized in partnership with Arts d'Australie - Stéphane Jacob, Paris, The Australian Art Print Network, Sydney and Queensland (QIAMEA), Australia.

Guests arrive and are greeted warmly by Gerard and Theresa Burkhardt before entering the exhibition space. 

Theresa Burkhardt-Felder welcomes guests and introduces them to the theme of the exhibition, putting it in the context of previous ones held at the museum:  « Avec l’exposition de Dennis Nona (…), La grange du Château d’Ivernois souhaite livrer une image plus nuancée de l’Australie ». « Dennis Nona vient d’un peuple de la mer. Le paysage marin est rempli d’esprits et c’est dans cette orientation spirituelle qu’a évolué la culture des insulaires du Détroit. C’est de cet univers aquatique que Dennis Nona nous parle non pas en mots mais en images. »

Claude-Alain Kleiner, President of the Municipality of Val-de-Travers : « Marée… Oui telle la marée, l’œuvre gravé de Dennis Nona vient à la rencontre de notre pays. »…  « Theresa et Gérard Burkhardt participent à notre acculturation d’une identité inconnue jusqu’alors, au travers de leurs expositions savamment pensées. »

Philippe Gnaegi, President of the Conseil d'Etat de Neuchâtel : « Parmi les premiers Suisses à aller en Australie, il y a un nombre important de vignerons neuchâtelois (...) En s'installant à Môtiers, la Fondation Burkhardt-Felder (...) a ainsi réactivé des liens anciens. »

Paul Wilson, Deputy Head of the Australian Permanent Mission to the UN, representing officially Australia: "Les aborigènes d’Australie et les Torres Strait islanders représentent des cultures riches parmi les plus anciennes cultures au monde  »…« This is a very exceptional exhibition ! "

Jaques Hainard, former Director of the Museums of Ethnology in Neuchatel and Geneva and member of the Board of the Foundation, speaks of his fascination for Dennis Nona's work and applauds the approach Theresa and Gerard Burkhardt have taken in presenting their exhibitions:  « je suis toujours dans la position de l’homme de la rue face à l’art aborigène australien mais, grâce à la Fondation Burkhardt-Felder, je progresse ! »

Dennis Nona (standing beside him is his European representative, Stéphane Jacob of Arts d'Australie), dedicates this exhibition to his elders past and present and expresses his delight to present his work to the Swiss people. « (…) the tradition of storytelling and the handing down of knowledge has taken a new twist. Through my art and the art of many of my fellow artists, we have become visual rather than oral storytellers (...) Knowledge of the constellations, weather patterns, plant medicines, harvesting the land and sea, hunting practices, survival at sea, trading routes and many other aspects of our culture are revealed in my works. » 

Aperitif in the courtyard of the Château d'Ivernois and an occasion for many to become personally acquainted with the artist. 

Dennis Nona à La grange

L'artiste Dennis Nona devant le musée :"Je me sens très en harmonie avec le musée La grange."

© Christian Galley

Vernissage of the exhibition « Visions aborigènes » (2010)

The Vernissage of « Visions aborigènes » took place on Saturday, 8th May 2010. Over a hundred guests attended to enter ‘the world of seeing’ by Aboriginal artists in Australia.

« Visions aborigènes » is an important exhibition that celebrates Australian Aboriginal people’s unique ‘ways of seeing’, as expressed through their visual art. In terms of scope, as well as curatorial depth and complexity, « Visions aborigènes » builds on the 2008 exhibition of works from the Burkhardt-Felder Collection, titled « Treasures of the Spirit » (Dr. Christine Nicholls, in the catalogue « Visions aborigènes », 2010 p. 5.

The guests arrive…

...and are greeted by Mr. and Mrs. Burkhardt, the founders of the museum « La grange ».

The visitors in the museum « La grange » 
– a building of the 18th century, magnificently restored – in discussions, contemplation and admiration before the artworks. 

Ms. Laila Borloz, deputy curator of the museum « La grange ».

Mrs. Theresa Burkhardt-Felder, curator of the museum « La grange », presents the exhibition, and the speakers. 

Mr. Claude-Alain Kleiner, Minister of Culture of the Val-de-Travers :« Vouloir le vrai, c’est s’avouer impuissant à le créer » !
 Si Nietzsche était présent parmi nous aujourd’hui, nul doute qu’il avouerait à son tour son erreur en découvrant ces visions aborigènes tant elles sont criantes de vérité. 

Mr. Philippe Gnaegi, Minister of Culture of the Canton of Neuchâtel : Grâce à la Fondation Burkhardt-Felder, cette superbe propriété a retrouvé son lustre d’antan, et, par ses activités artistiques, culturelles, contribue à faire rayonner le canton. 

H.E. Mr. Peter Tesch, Ambassador of Australia in Switzerland and patron of the exhibition : This, I think, must be one of the finest collections of Aboriginal art in Europe ! 

Mr. Jacques Hainard, former Director and Curator of the Museum of Ethnography in Neuchâtel and Director of the Museum of Ethnography in Geneva : « Visions aborigènes » pourrait s’inscrire par ailleurs dans une nouvelle orientation anthropologique qui interroge des graphismes indigènes pour examiner la vision que ces sociétés ont d’elles-mêmes. 

Dr. Jessica De Largy Healy, Anthropologist and Chercheure associée au Laboratoire d’Anthropologie sociale/Collège de France : Je souhaite féliciter à nouveau la Fondation pour cette superbe exposition. Le fait qu’il y ait tant de régions différentes d’Australie qui sont représentées permet justement de se rendre compte de la diversité des cultures aborigènes contemporaines en Australie. Ces peuples sont toujours en vie et continuent de survivre. L’art est le moyen qu’ils ont choisi depuis les années 60 pour parler avec le monde extérieur.

Mr. Gérard Burkhardt, President of the Burkhardt-Felder Arts and Culture Foundation and H.E. Mr. Peter Tesch, Ambassador of Australia in Switzerland.

Apéritif, served in the courtyard of the Château d’Ivernois, with canapés and fine wines from the House of Mauler in Môtiers.

Inauguration of the Museum « La grange » and Vernissage of the Exhibition « Treasures of the Spirit » (2008)

On a splendid summer day in June 2008, about 200 invited guests gathered under the Linden trees in the courtyard of the Château d’Ivernois to celebrate the opening of the Musée « La grange » and the vernissage of the exhibition « Treasures of the Spirit », a voyage across Aboriginal Australia.

Theresa Burkhardt welcomed the guests warmly and spoke of the fulfillment of a dream for herself and her husband, both co-founders of the Burkhardt-Felder Foundation Arts and Culture.

After acknowledging the fine results achieved in the restoration of the Château d’Ivernois and its domain, Frédéric Geissbuhler, member of the Foundation committee and former partner of PriceWaterhouseCooper, introduced the speakers.

The Consul General of Australia in Switzerland, Ken Pascoe, conveyed the message of H.E. Ian Kemish AM, Australian Ambassador for Switzerland and patron of this exhibition.

Jean-Frédéric Jauslin, Director of the Swiss Office for Culture and co-patron of the exhibition was represented by Urs Staub, Director of the Art and Design Department.

Sylvie Perrinjaquet, MP, and Vincent Desaulles, President of Môtiers, spoke on behalf of the Canton and the municipality.

Jacques Hainard, former director and curator of the Museum of Ethnology in Neuchatel and director of the Museum of Ethnology in Geneva, spoke passionately of ethnic vs. contemporary art.

Dr. Christine Nicholls, Professor at Flinders University in Adelaide, Australia, talked about her experience of living with an Aboriginal community in a remote part of Australia for 12 years.

Proceeding to the actual opening, Sylvie Perrinjaquet, in her capacity as Minister of Culture for Neuchâtel, cut ceremoniously the red ribbon in front of the museum, whereupon Gérard Burkhardt declared the museum open.

A plate was fixed onto the wall at the entry of the museum to commemorate this event. The guests then entered the exhibition « Treasures of the Spirit », so named to illustrate the spiritual concept of the Aborigines, their respect for nature and their profound attachment to their ancestral lands.

Dr. Christine Nicholls, an expert on Aboriginal art and with a profound knowledge of Aboriginal culture, stood in front of several paintings to explain to the fascinated visitors the meaning of Dreaming as well as the spirituality that is inherent in Aboriginal art.