Switch the witch

'SWITCH THE WITCH' is a collective and multidisciplinary exhibition involving Swiss and international art realities and addresses the theme of alterity, mutation, transformation and magical realism through a transfeminist point of view.

TOMBOYS DON'T CRY invites a plurality of artists to explore different scenarios of language and visual arts through installation, sound, sculpture, video, and editorial productions in a pluralist, purposeful, and sensitive perspective of resistance rooted in intersectional transfeminist queer research whose aim is to bring together the Swiss artists involved with a panorama of international collaborations in a dialogue that triggers visions, considerations, and ideas about the future.

The invited Swiss artists are Lou Masduraud [Geneva], Evo Jovicic [Lausanne], Riikka Tauriainen [Zurich], Marta Margnetti and Giada Olivotto [Lugano] as well as Alieni [London], Dafne Boggeri [Milan], Good Witch [NY], Industria Indipendente [Rome], Lucile Olympe Haute [Paris], Nygel Panasco [Strasbourg], TOMBOYS DON'T CRY/Wet Mess [Milan/London] and Wretched Flowers [NY].

The works in the exhibition propose unconventional ways of remembering and connecting, offering space to describe oneself, through emotions and insights, rituals, collective happenings and reclaiming the figure of the witch and the 'other' in opposition to the stereotypical representation provided throughout History. We owe to these hunted, accused, tortured and burned feminists the tremendous advances in socio-political and gender issues. They speak to us about health, the body, medicine, self-discovery and rejection of the established order, reconcile us with nature, transgress norms, and remind us that it is not always easy to claim access to knowledge and develop nonacademic skills.

Opening the space, TOMBOYS DON'T CRY with British performance artist Wet Mess present the video 'How Many Licks'. Evo Jovicic exhibits a series of handmade typographic alphabets, key signs to combine and recombine language as a formula, more or less, magic. Multidisciplinary artist Dafne Boggeri presents 'The Oracle' a performance sculpture that when worn gives the power of prescience.

The threshold between the two spaces is marked by 'Alien Wall Sconce' an anthropomorphic sculpture/vase by the American duo Wretched Flowers.
The space is activated with infusions of local herbs by the sculpture-fountain by artist currently in residence at the Swiss Institute in Rome Lou Masduraud, who explores the element of water as a socio-political inquiry into sharing.
And then the Roman duo Industria Indipendente with the installation 'My legs run and write free,' the photograph 'Bodybuilders, crop 01' by the artist-photographer Alieni and the sculpture 'Dripping' by Dafne Boggeri.

In the same room, a section dedicated to publishing presents four different zine editions produced by Fattucchiere [Marta Margnetti and Giada Olivotto], one of which was created and distributed free of charge on the occasion of the exhibition, 'Subnatural Voices' by Riikka Tauriainen,'Write earth' by American artist Good Witch, 'Cybersorcières' by Lucile Olympe Haute, and 'L'an 2021' by Nygel Panasco, in a special setup dedicated to consulting the editions.

SWITCH THE WITCH gives precedence to expressions of sisterhood, difference, the supernatural, creativity and ceremony as a path to healing and reminds us how the trauma inherited from History continues to affect us today.

CATEGORIES

• Exhibitions and fairs