ProHelvetica International Exposition
SWISS DESIGN IN HOLLYWWOOD
in VALENCIA, Spain


March 4, 2009 - April 28, 2009

Universidad Politécnica de Valencia - 
Facultad de Bellas Artes de San Carlos
Camino de Vera, s/n, 46002 Valencia, Valencia

The Hollywood film industry is one of the most significant and undisputed agents of popular culture, yet a “small” country 
like Switzerland has been exerting a constant influence on its most important film productions over the last four decades and has contributed important creators to the international scene. Although their names are not known by the masses, these artists were actively involved in blockbusters such as Alien, Titanic, Matrix, The Lord of the Rings or Pirates of the Caribbean. The exhibition Swiss Design in Hollywood overviews the work and the lasting impact of Swiss artists working on Hollywood film productions or in videogames. In doing so, it underscores the influence that some Swiss designers exert on the aesthetics of film entertainment and video production. 

Swiss Design in Hollywood is a touring exhibition produced by Pro Helvetia, the Swiss Arts Council, and conceived by the Maison d’Ailleurs, a museum centred on science fiction, located in Yverdon-les-Bains (Switzerland). The central element of the exhibition presents the following artists and their work: H. R. Giger (“Alien”), John Howe (“The Lord of the Rings”), Christian Scheurer (“Final Fantasy”), Deak Ferrand (“Hellboy”), Natasha Devaud (“Pirates of the Caribbean”), Brigitte Wuest (“King-Kong”), Silvio Aebischer and Simon Christen (“Ratatouille”), Nadja Bonacina (“Over the Hedge”), Simon Otto (“Flushed Away”) and Alex Ongaro (“Bee-Movie”). A comprehensive online documentation is accessible >>> here

The Universitat Politècnica de Valencia adds a new dimension to this Pro Helvetia show, reinforcing its already highly attractive contents by incorporating original works by the three most relevant Swiss artists featured in the exhibition: H.R. Giger, 
contributes his silkscreen series for Alien, an original sketch from that same body of work and two sculptures; John Howe, celebrated for his involvement in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, has lent a selection of his original illustrations for Tolkien’s work; and Christian Scheurer, one of the most active artists in the field of conceptual design of movies and videogames, is showing his creations for Matrix and Animatrix, together with other personal works.

The exhibition catalogue also includes a selection of texts from the online catalogue, including Special Effects, A Short History Lesson by Alain Bielik; Dream Imagery and Sublimate Landscapes as Hollywood Scenery by Marianne Wagner; Playing with Art by Julian Oliver; Christian Lorenz Scheurer, Creator of Universes by Patrick Gyger; and The Visionary Work of H.R. Giger written by Dr. Carlos Arenas.