Women Artists in the Kunsthalle Bern: An Archival Investigation

The archival exhibition focuses on a selection of women artists who have enriched the Kunsthalle Bern's program with their substantial artistic contributions ever since its founding. Selected documents from the Kunsthalle's archive as well as from the artists' personal archives broaden the picture. The inquiry brought about surprising results: from its founding in 1918 until the early 1960s, more women artists exhibited at the Kunsthalle Bern than at any other Swiss institution. Most of them were affiliated with the Swiss Society of Women Artists in the Visual Artists SSWA and made sure they and other women were visible at the institution they had co-founded. As the number of women exhibiting at the Kunsthalle dropped in the years from 1960 to 1990, this was repeatedly met with protest. English translation: Ben Rosenthal+ ID: 58387