BINZ39


/ Upcoming: BINZ39 x Studiologue (18.8.) / Philémon Otth, 1. – 30.9. 2023, Opening: 31.8. /


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Sihlquai 133
8005 Zürich


Thu – Sat
14 – 17 o’clock
or by appointment


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Mark







One of the basic principles of the foundation is to create free space for artistic praxis. Today, around 3170 m2 have been made available for this in Zurich. The BINZ39 Foundation has primarily been concerned with visual arts, but has also supported interdisciplinary work between the various  disciplines.



Gruppe 1987-1988


A 20 year chronicle of the BINZ39 Foundation

(as told by its founder, Henry F.Levy)


1982


The search for suitable space in commercial buildings in Zurich is proving very difficult. The property management companies and landlords do not want artists in their buildings. During this time it is difficult to find suitable spaces. I find what I'm looking for with Piller Real Estate. Rolf Piller is an art lover.


1983-1984


400 m2 have now been found and the first seven studios with a 100 m2 showroom are initiated at Binzstrasse 39, in 8045 Zurich. At the first group meeting, the name BINZ39 is unanimously chosen for the new studio organization. The artists living in Zurich will receive the studios for two years free of charge and pay a small contribution for exhibition costs, advertising, etc. A very large studio is made available to a group of three artists. The first exhibition with Lucia Coray and Damiano Gianoli is a great success. A lot of press, many sales and a very curious audience. Further solo exhibitions of all residents as well as a group exhibition take place later in the year. We rent an additional 380 m2 of space at Räffelstrasse 25 and another ten studios are built on the 4th floor. We rent 400 m2 at Siewerdtstrasse 73, in 8050 Zurich, an experiment with a large studio for six to eight artists in one space.

Artists at the BINZ39:

Domenico Angelica
Lucia Coray
Damiano Gianoli
Gerda Gosteli
Thomas Lüchinger
Henri Spaeti
Claudio Conte
Louise Schmid


1985 - 1986


We are able to rent out 600 m2 at Sihlquai 133, in 8005 Zurich. We rebuild and move from Binzstrasse 39 to Sihlquai 133. The studios at Binzstrasse 39 will remain, the number of studios will be increased and they will be rented at a slight discount to artists and artisans. The much larger premises on Sihlquai are more centrally located and ideal for artists and visitors. The second group of artists has been selected and will help to build the new studios. The exhibition activities continue with concerts and other cultural events. Planning for the first international artist exchange with the US. We rent a studio in PS1, New York. In January 1986 I found the Galerie Emmerich-Baumann am Steinwiesplatz with Margrit Baumann as managing director. It was to become a top international gallery, always having double exhibitions with a young and an established artist who already had a worldwide reputation. We open with David Hockney and the 26-year-old Thomas Virnich. Before our opening, I am making the space available to the new Kunsthalle Zurich, which does not yet have a venue, free of charge. Bernhard Mendes Bürgi is the curator of this exhibition 

Artists at the BINZ39:

Olivia Etter
Hans-Peter Kistler
Valentin Lustig
Paul Rummé
Eva Stirmlin
Daniel Zimmermann
Franziska Zumbach


1987 — 1988


The first American artist, Terry Adkins, comes to Sihlquai in Zurich for twelve months, followed by Joseph Egan. Henri Spaeti travels to New York for twelve months to the PS1 studio, followed by Cecile Wick. The first Spanish artist, Enrique Vega, comes to Zurich for six months, Eva Stürmlin goes to Madrid for six months. This exchange is organized with the Edurno Gallery in Madrid. We are very pleased with the success of the artist exchange, which will be an important part of BINZ39. In 1988 our organization was transformed into a cultural foundation, with the foundation board members Henry F. Levy (president), Lucia Coray, Dr. Andreas Bäkert and Hansruedi Weinmann. We receive the federal recognition and tax exemption of the foundation. We sign a contract with the owner of the Parkhotel in Scuol, Graubünden, to establish a studio house for artists in the Kurmittelhaus. The reconstruction and restoration of the building is financed by Henry F. Levy and a right of purchase is agreed. Opening of the cultural center in May 1988.

Ten artists live and create under one roof. The first exhibition in the cultural center shows works by Not Vital and Marcus Casanova. Further exhibitions with the "Artists in Residence" follow. For the first year Henry F.Levy is the curator of the cultural center in Scuol-Nairs. We are organizing an exhibition with artists from Palazzo Liestal at Sihlquai and the residents of the foundation BINZ39 in Liestal. 1988 I close the gallery Emmerich Baumann. The art trade does not satisfy me, and without trade a top gallery has no right to exist.

Artists at the BINZ39:

Terry Adkins
Max BühImann
Josef Egan
Camille Hagner
Jorg Lenzlinger
Flavio Michele
Enrique Vega
Chantal Wicki
Andrea Wolfensberger

Terry Adkins, 1986

1989 — 1990


Closure of the Siewerdtstrasse 73. This kind of community studio was a failure. Artists are too individualistic and need their own space, also the location near the Hallenstadion was not suitable. The studio on Binzstrasse will be enlarged by another 360 m2 for seven new studios. Now we have almost 10'000 m3 at our disposal. The hotelier in Scuol goes bankrupt. Henry F. Levy buys the property of the Cultural Center and donates it to the BINZ39 Foundation. We organize a large exhibition in Munich for the Cultural Senate on Lothringerstrasse. The Federal Office of Culture holds talks with us to organize an artist exchange project of the FDFA within the framework of the Osthilfe. The idea of Dr. Cesar Menz is realized, the association ARTEST is founded, Henry F.Levy becomes president and the EDA approves the budget. The Christoph Merian Foundation, the Künstlerhaus Boswil, the Fondation Buffat, the Casa Bick, the Museo Vela and the Stiftung BINZ39 provide studios and organize an artist exchange with Central and Eastern Europe. Among others, studios for Swiss artists have been established in Prague, Bratislava, Budapest, Kiev, Sofia, Krakow and Moscow. The length of stay here and there is six months each.

Artists at the BINZ39:

Christopher Bledowski
Magdalena Duran
Corinne Guidemann
Roland Heini
Monika Kiss-Horvath
Maria Jesus Rodriguez
Christoff Sonderegger
Christof Thur

BINZ39 Scuol Nairs

1991-1992


The first ARTEST artists from Czechoslovakia and Bulgaria move into their studios in Zurich and Scuol. The Eastern European artists are an enrichment for our art scene. For the next four years we will concentrate on these countries and personally select the Eastern European artists as well as the Swiss representatives. We are consolidating Zurich and Scuol and often travel to Eastern Europe. We organize a series of sixteen concerts with the record label RecRec, which is a great success with the public.

Artists at the BINZ39:

Jesus Canovas
Yvonne Christen
Urs Frei
Christian Herter
Milko Pavlov
Myrtha Steiner
Laco Teren
Ugo Rondinone
Vado
Susanne Walter
Mark Wingrave



Urs Frei, 1991


1993 - 1994


Two still very intensive years with many exhibitions in Zurich, Scuol, Sofia and Bratislava and collaboration with the Swiss National Museum with an installation by Andreas Kohli.

Artists at the BINZ39:
 
Tomas Cisarovski
lvan Csudai
Germaine Frey
Dimitar Grosdanov
Andreas Kohii
Michael Nitsch
Elena Panajotova
Phillip Popoff
Martin Senn
Sandra Schwendke
Nedko Solakov
Thomas Stalder


1994 - 1995


Hanneke Frühauf becomes a member of the board of trustees of the BINZ39 foundation and is intensively involved in our activities. We become a member of the International Association of Residential Art Centers, a new worldwide coordination office for cultural centers, similar to our organization in Scuol. The exchange of ideas between different countries such as the USA, Germany, Ireland, England, India, Holland and France in this field bears fruit. Towards the end of 1995 ARTEST is dissolved by the Federal Office. We continue the work until 1997.

Artists at the BINZ39:

Marc Bundi
Maurus Gmür
Bea Maritz
Harry Jo Weilenmann
Valentina Batschwarova
Urs Fischer
Pravdoljub Ivanov
Albena Mihaylova
Roman Ondak
Robert Urbasek
Emdke Vargova

Vernissage Maurus Gmür


1996 — 1997


Henry F.Levy hands over the organization at Sihlquai 133 to Lucia Coray and Hanneke Frühauf after a good fifteen years. The two curators will be responsible for designing the exhibition program and selecting the scholarship holders at Sihlquai. The artist exchange program is discontinued. We organize performances and concerts at Sihlquai 133.

Artists at the BINZ39:

Olaf Breuning
Daniele Buetti
Roland Herzog
Susan Hodel
Barbara Landi
Costa Vece


1998 — 1999


We are planning a new sponsorship for the cultural center in Scuol-Nairs together with the canton of Graubünden and the region of Lower Engadin. At the end of 1999, this sponsorship will take over the operation of the center in Scuol. The BINZ39 Foundation will make the house available free of charge. The founder Henry F.Levy is represented in all committees. Christof Rösch, who was active as an artist as well as a curator at the center, is employed as curator for NAIRS and continues to run the center with great commitment. The program in NAIRS becomes broader and the interest in the region increases.
https://nairs.ch

Artists at the BINZ39:

Monica Germann & Daniel Lorenzi
Franz Mark Gratwohl
Nic Hess
Zilla Leutenegger
Hannes Rickli
Karoline Schreiber
Pascale Wiedemann
Stefan Haupt


2000 — 2001


Eight elaborate exhibitions with performances will be held on Sihlquai. Hanneke Frühauf maintains our international connections. We talk about our 20th anniversary. The program continues to develop and the number of visitors to our exhibitions continues to rise. A loose collaboration with the Collegium Helveticum of the ETH Zurich is developing. Helga Novotny, Johannes Fehr, Lino Sibilliano and Darko Senekovic are interested in the confrontation between art and science.

Artists at the BINZ39:

Donato Amstutz
David Chieppo
Andreas Dobler
GRRRR
Nicole Kaestli
Kerim Seiler
Christian Vetter
Liutaurus Psibilskis 


Nicole Kaestli, 2001


2002 - 2003


The anniversary exhibition "Durchzug/Draft - 20 Years BINZ39 Foundation" will take place at the Kunsthalle Zurich. Beatrix Ruf is the curator and makes the selection of the artists alone. In addition to the exhibition, ten other cultural events and a symposium will take place. The immense amount of work for Beatrix Ruf and her team shows a great success and we thank Beatrix and her staff for their inspiring commitment. At the same time, we are presenting the exhibition "Artists in Residence" at Sihlquai 133. The philosophy of the BINZ39 Foundation is becoming visible and the echo is correspondingly positive. More than twenty media reports in Germany and abroad pay tribute to the work of Lucia Coray, Hanneke Frühauf and Henry F.Levy.


Artists at the BINZ39:

Pascal Häusermann
Pascal Lampert
Ursula Palla
Gianpaolo Russo
Christian Vetter
Andro Wekua
Senam Okudzeto
Maria Pomiansky




2004 - 2005


Hanneke Frühauf withdraws from the honorary work of the foundation. Alexandra Blättler is employed as a curator with a small workload while still studying art history. In the future, she will determine the exhibition program, arrange the works and projects of the residents and establish national and international contacts for the foundation and the residents.


2006 - 2007


Lucia Coray, Gianni Garzoli and Inès Lombard found the Friends of BINZ39 and Gianni Garzoli presides the association.


2008 - 2009


The Landis+Gys Foundation supports the guest residency (2009-2012). This support in terms of content and financial support is groundbreaking and has made the scholarship possible in the first place. Marianne Karabelnik develops contacts in Armenia, Bulgaria, Ukraine and Georgia for the Friends of BINZ39 and supports the residents in Zurich. Ivan Mudov (Bulgaria) is the first scholarship holder to arrive in Zurich. Lada Nakonechna (Ukraine) and Ivan Bazak (Ukraine) follow.  


2010 - 2012


Marianne Karabelnik gives up working for the foundation. Annalies Walter takes over all organizational tasks concerning the foreign residents. Collaboration with Haus Kostruktiv, Zurich. The video project Gespräche im Rockefeller Dining Room is created. Concept: Lucia Coray, Ursula Palla, Dorothea Strauss. Joint trip of the BINZ39 team to Georgia. Residents in Zurich are Lada Nakonechna (Ukraine), Ivan Bazak (Ukraine), Tigran Khachatryan (Armenia), Nino Sekhniashvili (Georgia) and Vajiko Chachkhiani (Georgia).



2013 - 2014 


Henry Levy is honored with the Award for Art Education by the City of Zurich. Alexandra Blättler leaves the foundation, Irene Grillo succeeds her. The studios at Binzstrasse 39 are handed over to Lucia Coray by means of long-term resignations in the self-supporting chairmanship of the foundation. Thanks to the renewed support of the Landis+Gys and Erica Foundation, Monika Stalder can now spend four months in Tbilisi. Residents in Zurich are Koka Vashakidze, Mariam Natroshvili, Ana Gabelaia and Khatja Tchokonelidze (all Georgia).


2015 - 2016 


Realization of the new BINZ39 documentation. One of our scholarship studios will be available to artists for short-term projects. Residents in Zurich are Ana Chaduneli and Irene Jorjadze (both Georgia). Thanks to the support of the Erika Foundation, the artist duo Sarah Grütter and Natascha Nüesch and curator Eva Dietrich will each be able to spend four months in Tbilisi. 







Mark