The gallery Hauser & Wirth inaugurates an additional exhibition space in Zurich’s Bahnhofstrasse with a presentation of major sculptures and works on paper by Hans (Jean) Arp. The show is titled “Art is a Fruit” and spans a period from 1924 – 1965. It has been developed in collaboration with Stiftung Arp e.V. and runs until November 20, 2021.

Arp was a key contributor in the development of Dada and Surrealism in the early 20th Century. Born in 1886 in Strasbourg, Alsace, the artist was raised speaking French, German and the Alsatian dialect. His hybrid cultural identity was formed during a long period of fraught nationalism, subsequently the artist refused to confine himself to a single language, nationality, artistic movement, or material.

At the heart of Arp’s artistic triumph lies the organic beauty of his sculptures, but the artist first gained critical acclaim for his prints, books, drawings, collages, and wood reliefs, as well as his poetry in German and French. “Art is a fruit that grows in man like a fruit on a plant, or a child in its mother’s womb.” (Hans Arp)

Arp: Art is a Fruit / Hauser & Wirth Zürich. Zürich (Switzerland), September 16, 2021.

–– Right-click (Mac: ctrl-click) this link to download Quicktime video file.