When ideas take shape

There’s something magical about setting up an exhibition. It’s all there, on paper and in spirit, but the space itself is empty.

Time to assemble.

Momentum.

Noémie Enz, director of cultural programmes and curator

Everything comes together. The pieces of the puzzle slot into place and an idea takes shape. I love the palpable excitement as your senses awaken. I feel a bit like a cat on high alert –  sensing the slightest change in the atmosphere with my whiskers.

Sometimes, you get the chance to experience this moment alongside the artist, as was the case with the first exhibition I put together at Chillon Castle, Leah Linh – Fortunes and reflections in the era of Peter II of Savoy.

Of course, Leah Linh and I had discussed the pieces a thousand times – how they would be made in reality – and I had a relatively clear image of how they would turn out. But sometimes, as was the case with this exhibition, certain pieces are dismembered, scattered across several locations and have not yet been assembled.

In these instances, the end product takes shape for the first time in the exact spot where it will be displayed. Momentum squared!

Here, you discover not only how the work interacts with the space around it, but also how the piece itself comes to life. When the Colombo granite arrived, it was nothing but a stone in the back of a pick-up truck. Once in position, it becomes a work of art. Experiencing all of this by an artist’s side is moving. It’s a beautiful, powerful moment that always leaves an indelible mark on my soft feline fur.