Venues
INTERDISCIPLINARY TALKS
Interdisciplinary Talks
June 14 – June 15, 2025
ZAW Art + Science talk 2024
Courtesy of ZAW
Courtesy of ZAW
Fri, June 13, Closed
Sat, June 14, 12:30 – 16:30
Sun, June 15, 14:00 – 15:00
Initiated in 2018 as the Art + Science Talks, the Zurich Art Weekend Interdisciplinary Talks seek to generate unconventional exchanges between creative thinkers who are active at the highest level of excellence in the arts, humanities, the natural sciences, and public life. Organised on the occasion of ZURICH ART WEEKEND June program and kindly hosted by schwarzescafé / Luma Westbau, we delve into the current conversations celebrating the vastness of interdisciplinary work by leading artists, curators, writers, academics, scientists, and researchers who bridge the gap between these fields. We encourage “out of the box” discussions, shared perspectives, and lively debate.
These Interdisciplinary Talks, moderated by a journalist, curator, or academic, pair internationally acclaimed contemporary artists with leading figures from other fields. They aim to tease out crossovers in research of supposedly opposing disciplines. Alongside our team, the talks have been curated by Daniel Baumann (Director Kunsthalle Zurich 2015-2025), Jacqueline Burckhardt (Art Historian and Editor) and others.
All talks are free and open to the public, with RSVP recommended.
Events will take place at schwarzescafé / Luma Westbau, Löwenbräukunst, Limmatstrasse 270, 8005 Zurich.
Access: Free
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Luma Westbau
Löwenbräukunst
Limmatstrasse
Zürich
Löwenbräukunst
Limmatstrasse
Zürich
Events
With Mario Schulze, curator and cultural historian, and Sarine Waltenspül, curator and historian of technology, in conversation with artist Taloi Havini.
In their Interdisciplinary Talk, Taloi Havini, Mario Schulze, and Sarine Waltenspül speak about their artistic and curatorial practice, which seeks to share, think and do oceanic and immaterial heritage in novel ways. The talk will explore themes including string figures, shell money, and cross-cultural learning.
MARIO SCHULZE is a historian of science and media who also works as a curator. Recently, he curated the “String Figures. A Research Exhibition” at the Museum Tinguely, Basel. He is the author of “Wie die Dinge sprechen lernten: Eine Geschichte des Museumsobjektes” (2017) and “Fließend: Geschichte, Ästhetik und Politik des wissenschaftlichen Films” (2025). Mario Schulze holds a doctorate in Cultural Analysis from the University of Zurich. Postdoctoral appointments and Fellowships took him to the Humboldt University of Berlin, University of Lucerne, Collegium Helveticum Zurich, Museumsakademie Graz and the Zurich University of the Arts. He currently works at the Department of Media Studies of the University of Basel.
SARINE WALTENSPÜL is a historian of science, media artist and scholar, as well as a curator.
She studied philosophy, art history and cultural analysis, theory and history in Basel, Zurich and Berlin, earned a doctorate in media studies, worked at the Zurich University of the Arts, was a fellow at MECS/Lüneburg, Collegium Helveticum/ETH, Deutsches Museum Munich, HU Berlin and a visiting professor at the University of Basel. She has co-/led various research projects, currently the interdisciplinary project “Visualpedia. Atlas Encyclopaedia Cinematographica and the Visual Science and Technology Studies” at the University of Lucerne.
She is the author of “Modelle im Film. Eine kleine Kinogeschichte” (2024) and “Fließend. Geschichte, Ästhetik und Politik des wissenschaftlichen Films” (2025). Recently, she curated the exhibition “String Figures / Fadenspiele: A Research Exhibition” at the Museum Tinguely Basel.
TALOI HAVINI (b, 1981, Arawa, Autonomous Region of Bougainville, Papua New Guinea; lives and works in Brisbane, Australia) is an interdisciplinary artist working across media from sculpture, photography, moving image, installation, and sound. A descendant from the Nakas clan of the Hakö (Haku) people of northeastern Buka, her research practice is shaped by her matrilineal ties to her land in Bougainville and studies surrounding Indigenous Knowledge Systems and museum collections. Havini creates immersive and site-specific experiences, often reflecting on ideas of transmission, mapping and representation. She continues to work collaboratively on cultural heritage projects with communities in Bougainville.
Havini won the prestigious Artes Mundi Prize on its tenth edition. Havini’s artwork is held in public and private collections including TBA21–Academy, Sharjah Art Foundation, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA), National Gallery of Victoria and KADIST, San Francisco, CA, USA. She has participated in numerous solo and group exhibitions exhibiting with Artspace, Sydney; Palais de Tokyo, Paris; Sharjah Biennial 13, UAE; 3rd Aichi Triennial, Nagoya; 8th & 9th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art, QAGOMA, Brisbane; TBA21’s Ocean Space, Venezia; Barbican Centre, London; Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, New Zealand; the Honolulu Biennial, Hawaii; and Artes Mundi 10, Wales. Currently, Havini has a work on view at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York as part of the reopening of the Michael C. Rockefeller Wing.
In their Interdisciplinary Talk, Taloi Havini, Mario Schulze, and Sarine Waltenspül speak about their artistic and curatorial practice, which seeks to share, think and do oceanic and immaterial heritage in novel ways. The talk will explore themes including string figures, shell money, and cross-cultural learning.
MARIO SCHULZE is a historian of science and media who also works as a curator. Recently, he curated the “String Figures. A Research Exhibition” at the Museum Tinguely, Basel. He is the author of “Wie die Dinge sprechen lernten: Eine Geschichte des Museumsobjektes” (2017) and “Fließend: Geschichte, Ästhetik und Politik des wissenschaftlichen Films” (2025). Mario Schulze holds a doctorate in Cultural Analysis from the University of Zurich. Postdoctoral appointments and Fellowships took him to the Humboldt University of Berlin, University of Lucerne, Collegium Helveticum Zurich, Museumsakademie Graz and the Zurich University of the Arts. He currently works at the Department of Media Studies of the University of Basel.
SARINE WALTENSPÜL is a historian of science, media artist and scholar, as well as a curator.
She studied philosophy, art history and cultural analysis, theory and history in Basel, Zurich and Berlin, earned a doctorate in media studies, worked at the Zurich University of the Arts, was a fellow at MECS/Lüneburg, Collegium Helveticum/ETH, Deutsches Museum Munich, HU Berlin and a visiting professor at the University of Basel. She has co-/led various research projects, currently the interdisciplinary project “Visualpedia. Atlas Encyclopaedia Cinematographica and the Visual Science and Technology Studies” at the University of Lucerne.
She is the author of “Modelle im Film. Eine kleine Kinogeschichte” (2024) and “Fließend. Geschichte, Ästhetik und Politik des wissenschaftlichen Films” (2025). Recently, she curated the exhibition “String Figures / Fadenspiele: A Research Exhibition” at the Museum Tinguely Basel.
TALOI HAVINI (b, 1981, Arawa, Autonomous Region of Bougainville, Papua New Guinea; lives and works in Brisbane, Australia) is an interdisciplinary artist working across media from sculpture, photography, moving image, installation, and sound. A descendant from the Nakas clan of the Hakö (Haku) people of northeastern Buka, her research practice is shaped by her matrilineal ties to her land in Bougainville and studies surrounding Indigenous Knowledge Systems and museum collections. Havini creates immersive and site-specific experiences, often reflecting on ideas of transmission, mapping and representation. She continues to work collaboratively on cultural heritage projects with communities in Bougainville.
Havini won the prestigious Artes Mundi Prize on its tenth edition. Havini’s artwork is held in public and private collections including TBA21–Academy, Sharjah Art Foundation, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA), National Gallery of Victoria and KADIST, San Francisco, CA, USA. She has participated in numerous solo and group exhibitions exhibiting with Artspace, Sydney; Palais de Tokyo, Paris; Sharjah Biennial 13, UAE; 3rd Aichi Triennial, Nagoya; 8th & 9th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art, QAGOMA, Brisbane; TBA21’s Ocean Space, Venezia; Barbican Centre, London; Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, New Zealand; the Honolulu Biennial, Hawaii; and Artes Mundi 10, Wales. Currently, Havini has a work on view at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York as part of the reopening of the Michael C. Rockefeller Wing.
Sat, June 14, 12:30 – 13:30 | EN
A conversation with British-Kenyan (Maasai Kikuyu) artist Grace Ndiritu, whose practice spans film, painting, textiles, performance and social practice. In her long-term body of work 'Healing the Museum' (2012–present), she introduces non-rational healing methodologies such as shamanism to re-activate the ‘sacredness’ of art spaces. The talk will begin with a short introductory meditation session led by the artist.
Organized in partnership with ArtReview.
LOUISE BENSON is Director of Digital at ArtReview. She is a trustee of Wysing Arts Centre, and has written widely on art, politics and contemporary culture. Previously she was Deputy Editor at Elephant, and before that Editor-in-Chief of POSTmatter, a magazine about modern life and culture in the digital age. She is interested in exploring what happens at the edges of the art world, seeking out stories from behind the scenes. She is also the co-founder of Scenic Views, an independent interiors magazine focused on overlooked design histories.
GRACE NDIRITU is a British-Kenyan (Maasai Kikuyu), visual artist, filmmaker and writer whose artworks are concerned with the transformation of our contemporary world. Ndiritu is a recipient of the prestigious Paul Hamlyn Foundation - Visual Arts Award (2024) and the winner of the Film London Jarman Award 2022. Her films and videos, textiles, photography, performances, paintings and architectural installations have been widely exhibited, most recently in her mid-career survey, Healing The Museum, at SMAK, Ghent in 2023 and Lyon Biennale in 2024. Ndiritu is represented by Kate MacGarry, London.
WATCH:
Organized in partnership with ArtReview.
LOUISE BENSON is Director of Digital at ArtReview. She is a trustee of Wysing Arts Centre, and has written widely on art, politics and contemporary culture. Previously she was Deputy Editor at Elephant, and before that Editor-in-Chief of POSTmatter, a magazine about modern life and culture in the digital age. She is interested in exploring what happens at the edges of the art world, seeking out stories from behind the scenes. She is also the co-founder of Scenic Views, an independent interiors magazine focused on overlooked design histories.
GRACE NDIRITU is a British-Kenyan (Maasai Kikuyu), visual artist, filmmaker and writer whose artworks are concerned with the transformation of our contemporary world. Ndiritu is a recipient of the prestigious Paul Hamlyn Foundation - Visual Arts Award (2024) and the winner of the Film London Jarman Award 2022. Her films and videos, textiles, photography, performances, paintings and architectural installations have been widely exhibited, most recently in her mid-career survey, Healing The Museum, at SMAK, Ghent in 2023 and Lyon Biennale in 2024. Ndiritu is represented by Kate MacGarry, London.
WATCH:
Sat, June 14, 15:30 – 16:30 | EN
ZAW x Kunsthaus Zürich x Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich
With Jeffrey Gibson, artist, and Paavo Järvi, Music Director of the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, moderated by Abigail Winograd, curator of 'boshullichi/inlʋchi, we will continue to change'.
Interdisciplinary Talks seek to generate unconventional exchanges between creative thinkers who are active at the highest level of excellence in the arts, humanities, the natural sciences, and public life. Organised on the occasion of ZURICH ART WEEKEND June program and kindly hosted by schwarzescafé / Luma Westbau, we delve into the current conversations celebrating the vastness of interdisciplinary work by leading artists, curators, writers, academics, scientists, and researchers who bridge the gap between these fields. We encourage “out of the box” discussions, shared perspectives, and lively debate.
Organized in partnership with Kunsthaus Zürich and Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich.
JEFFREY GIBSON
Jeffrey Gibson (b. 1972, Colorado Springs, CO; lives and works in New York) is an artist, curator and educator. He grew up in major urban centres in the United States, Germany, Korea and the UK. He is a citizen of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians and of Cherokee descent. Gibson earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts in painting from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 1995 and his Master of Arts in painting at the Royal College of Art, London, in 1998.
PAAVO JÄRVI
Paavo Järvi is regarded as one of the most important conductors today, working in close partnership with the greatest international orchestras. He is the Music Director of the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, Artistic Director of the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, and the founder and Artistic Director of the Estonian Festival Orchestras as well as the Pärnu Music Festival in Estonia. His accolades include a Grammy Award, the Sibelius Medal, the 2022 European Cultural Prize, and the Order of the White Star, awarded by the President of Estonia in 2013 for his outstanding contribution to Estonian culture.
ABIGAIL WINOGRAD
Abigail Winograd is an independent curator and writer currently serving as co-director and chief curator of Pueblo Unido Gallery. She recently commissioned and co-curated Jeffrey Gibson’s exhibition for the 2024 U.S. Pavilion at the 60th Venice Biennale. Winograd has curated exhibitions around the world, held positions at the Gray Center for Arts and Inquiry, the Smart Museum of Art, Frans Hals Museum, Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Blanton Museum of Art, and Art Institute of Chicago, and published extensively.
With Jeffrey Gibson, artist, and Paavo Järvi, Music Director of the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, moderated by Abigail Winograd, curator of 'boshullichi/inlʋchi, we will continue to change'.
Interdisciplinary Talks seek to generate unconventional exchanges between creative thinkers who are active at the highest level of excellence in the arts, humanities, the natural sciences, and public life. Organised on the occasion of ZURICH ART WEEKEND June program and kindly hosted by schwarzescafé / Luma Westbau, we delve into the current conversations celebrating the vastness of interdisciplinary work by leading artists, curators, writers, academics, scientists, and researchers who bridge the gap between these fields. We encourage “out of the box” discussions, shared perspectives, and lively debate.
Organized in partnership with Kunsthaus Zürich and Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich.
JEFFREY GIBSON
Jeffrey Gibson (b. 1972, Colorado Springs, CO; lives and works in New York) is an artist, curator and educator. He grew up in major urban centres in the United States, Germany, Korea and the UK. He is a citizen of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians and of Cherokee descent. Gibson earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts in painting from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 1995 and his Master of Arts in painting at the Royal College of Art, London, in 1998.
PAAVO JÄRVI
Paavo Järvi is regarded as one of the most important conductors today, working in close partnership with the greatest international orchestras. He is the Music Director of the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, Artistic Director of the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, and the founder and Artistic Director of the Estonian Festival Orchestras as well as the Pärnu Music Festival in Estonia. His accolades include a Grammy Award, the Sibelius Medal, the 2022 European Cultural Prize, and the Order of the White Star, awarded by the President of Estonia in 2013 for his outstanding contribution to Estonian culture.
ABIGAIL WINOGRAD
Abigail Winograd is an independent curator and writer currently serving as co-director and chief curator of Pueblo Unido Gallery. She recently commissioned and co-curated Jeffrey Gibson’s exhibition for the 2024 U.S. Pavilion at the 60th Venice Biennale. Winograd has curated exhibitions around the world, held positions at the Gray Center for Arts and Inquiry, the Smart Museum of Art, Frans Hals Museum, Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Blanton Museum of Art, and Art Institute of Chicago, and published extensively.
Sun, June 15, 14:00 – 15:00 | EN