Once part of Lake Zurich, the site of Shedhalle was transformed into seemingly solid ground by artificial embankments. ‘ProtoZone19’ takes this human-made change as a starting point to question the mutability of material and social foundations – and thus also the systems on which ideas of stability, power and community are based.

Lake water returns to Shedhalle, where the participating artists delve into how material and immaterial conditions are controlled and interconnected, how fundamental systems collapse, and how collective needs can be maintained in times of climate crisis and authoritarian politics.

‘ProtoZone19’ moves on unstable ground as a starting point for changing ways of dealing with what surrounds us.

curated by Phila Bergmann & Thea Reifler, assistant curator Vanessa Bosch