Hidden paintings and radical art: Why Zurich should be your next cultural escape

When I checked into my hotel, I noticed a man slumped successful nan area of nan lobby. He looked dishevelled, much for illustration a jet-lagged backpacker than a impermanent astatine a five-star retreat. The beforehand table unit hardly glanced astatine him, truthful I thought amended of rubbernecking.

It wasn’t until later, while touring nan spot and admiring useful by Salvador Dalí and Joan Miró, that it clicked. I returned to nan lobby, sewage face-to-face pinch nan man successful nan area and realised he was nary man astatine all. He was an creation installation.

I was astatine nan Dolder Grand, a lavish edifice built among Zurich’s wooded hills, for illustration a fairytale castle towering complete nan Zürichsee. Originally opened successful 1899 arsenic a Curhaus, aliases spa retreat, it still attracts nan world’s well-heeled pinch Alpine views and quiet luxury.

But inside, nan Dolder Grand offers a glimpse of a lesser-known Zurich, wherever art, not conscionable affluence, shapes nan experience. With much than 100 pieces by awesome 20th- and 21st-century artists scattered crossed nan property, nan edifice doubles arsenic a gallery, reflecting nan city’s heavy ties to productivity and design.

And it’s acold from an outlier.

Public artwork brings unexpected beauty to mundane life

Zurich is often seen arsenic nan domain of financiers, FIFA officials and different members of nan Maserati-driving classes. But it besides gave nan world Dadaism, nan extremist activity that emerged successful 1916 astatine Cabaret Voltaire and laid nan groundwork for surrealism and popular art.

Later, Zurich became nan birthplace of Swiss Style, which championed grid-based design, sans-serif typefaces for illustration Helvetica and a pared-back, logical artistic that still shapes everything from carrier signage to websites.

Its imaginative tone isn’t constricted to nan annals of history, either.

“Zurich is understated but buzzing,” says Jacqueline Uhlmann, head of nan Löwenbräukunst creation centre successful nan up-and-coming Zurich-West district. “There’s a quiet assurance and a collaborative tone here, driven little by inclination and much by substance. It’s a metropolis wherever design, art, architecture and exertion perpetually intersect.”

Some of that is in installments to nan city’s Kunst im öffentlichen Raum (KiöR) programme. It has commissioned and maintained complete 1,300 nationalist artworks, ranging from underpass murals to sculptures successful cemeteries and playgrounds.

At Zurich Main Station, you’re welcomed by Niki de Saint Phalle’s purple-and-gold ‘Guardian Angel.’ At Zürichhorn, Jean Tinguely’s mechanical ‘Heureka’ greets you pinch spinning parts and surreal charm. Even Bahnhofstrasse, nan city’s high-end shopping boulevard, hosts Max Bill’s minimalist ‘Pavilion Sculpture.’

“There’s a increasing activity astir reclaiming and creatively utilizing municipality space,” explains Milica Vujcic of Zurich Tourism.

Perhaps nan astir astonishing illustration of Zurich’s creator undercurrent is recovered wrong nan past spot you should be: nan constabulary station. Here, nan entranceway features a vivid fresco of blooming flowers painted by Augusto Giacometti. Known arsenic ‘Blüemlihalle,’ it’s a landmark you tin sojourn freely – nary apprehension required.

A erstwhile business territory now leads Zurich’s imaginative renaissance

Follow nan Limmat River westbound from Zurich’s medieval centre and nan cobblestones springiness measurement to train tracks, business towers and a different hit entirely. Zurich-West, erstwhile nan city’s manufacturing core, has been transformed into a imaginative hub humming pinch energy.

At its bosom stands Löwenbräukunst, a red-brick brewery transformed into 1 of Europe’s astir unsocial taste complexes. Under a azygous roof, you’ll find nan Kunsthalle Zürich, Migros Museum für Gegenwartskunst and awesome galleries for illustration Hauser & Wirth and Francesca Pia, alongside Edition VFO, which specialises successful limited-edition prints.

In 1 moment, you tin beryllium peering astatine kinetic sculptures and lipid paintings, and successful nan next, you’re eating vegan dishes astatine Bistro LOI aliases chatting pinch assemblage owners.

“Zurich’s spot lies successful its diverseness and density,” says Jacqueline Uhlmann, Löwenbräukunst’s manager.

“While it whitethorn beryllium quieter than Basel during creation week, it offers a year-round, highly progressive modern creation segment pinch a singular operation of galleries, off-spaces, awesome institutions, collectors and universities – each wrong stepping distance.”

That proximity tin substance cross-pollination. Uhlmann explains that nan Löwenbräukunst hosts regular meetups that let anyone willing successful creation to plug into nan district’s imaginative pulse.

“Initiatives for illustration our monthly Art Walk West – a collaboration crossed nan Zurich-West territory – are designed to activate and link pinch nan broader community,” she says. “It fosters informal conversations that often lead to existent collaborations.”

Back successful nan aged town, nan creation spaces connection a different aesthetic.

Kunsthaus Zurich, nan city’s astir renowned good arts institution, is 1 of nan largest museums successful Switzerland, lodging useful by Marc Chagall, Alberto Giacometti and Swiss-born innovator Sophie Taeuber-Arp. But it’s not each reverent soundlessness and lipid portraits. Recent exhibitions person tackled everything from NFTs to feminist interventions. And if you request a breather, nan leafy Heimplatz quadrate extracurricular is cleanable for people-watching pinch a pastry successful hand.

If you clip your sojourn right, you mightiness besides drawback Zurich Art Weekend, a three-day arena successful early summertime that features much than 70 exhibitions crossed nan city. Organised conscionable earlier Art Basel, nan yearly creation play involves everything from rooftop talks to guided tours, each free and unfastened to nan public.

Zurich’s hotels connection find arsenic good arsenic design

Even Zurich’s hospitality industry has a imaginative edge. The vibrant 25hours Hotel Zurich West was brought to life by Swiss designer Alfredo Häberli. The Boutique & Art Hotel Helvetia houses sculptures, paintings, prints and much successful its cleanable riverside space.

And past there’s nan Dolder Grand, wherever creation is everywhere. Reportedly worthy complete €800 million, its postulation is interwoven pinch nan impermanent experience.

One morning, I walked into Blooms, nan hotel’s plot restaurant, and recovered a towering Keith Haring sculpture rising from nan flower beds.

“Unlike successful a accepted depository setting, guests brushwood creation successful a relaxed and inviting atmosphere,” says Markus Granelli, nan wide manager. “It encourages lingering, study and conversation.”

You acquisition that whether you’re sipping a cocktail astatine nan Canvas Bar & Lounge – wherever each portion is inspired by a different portion successful nan hotel’s postulation – aliases admiring a elephantine mushroom sculpture by Takashi Murakami successful nan modern wing. There are useful by Francesco Clemente, Urs Fischer, Mel Ramos and moreover Sylvester Stallone.

But nan portion that lingers is Duane Hanson’s ‘Traveller,’ besides known arsenic nan man successful nan lobby. Made pinch a operation of recovered materials – clothing, hair, insubstantial tickets – he looks startlingly lifelike. Orlando International Airport has a version, too, and passersby regularly effort to aftermath him. I astir did nan same.

While he whitethorn not move, fto unsocial talk, nan man successful nan lobby will show you everything you request to cognize astir Zurich. Art isn’t kept down solid here; it’s portion of nan experience.

As Uhlmann puts it: “It’s a spot wherever thing is made, not conscionable shown.”