PRETENZIONE INTENZIONE - Objects of Beauty and Bewilderment from the Archive of Harald Szeemann

Presentation of the publication and of the exhibition PRETENZIONE INTENZIONE

5:30 pm - Auditorium
Preview of the book

Pretenzione Intenzione – Objects of Beauty and Bewilderment from the Archive of Harald Szeemann
Edited by Una Szeemann, Michele Robecchi & Bohdan Stehlik with Elsa Himmer (Patrick Frey Editions, 2025).

For the first time, a book explores the most enigmatic side of the famous curator and art historian Harald Szeemann through some objects from his archive that have never been identified and catalogued. Hayat Erdoğan, Simone Lappert, Raimundas Malašauskas, Michele Robecchi, Una Szeemann and Michael Taussig take thirty-seven objects from Harald Szeemann's Museum of Obsessions as a starting point for an almost archaeological journey, bringing to light memories and dreams buried deep in the unconscious. Bohdan Stehlik's black-and-white photographs add a visual dimension to this exploration.
The volume is published in English and German, the presentation will be in Italian. Introduced by Nicoletta Mongini, Director of Culture at the Monte Verità Foundation. The following spoke: Una Szeemann, Hayat Erdoğan and Michele Robecchi.

7:00 pm - Casa Selma, Casa dei Russi
Opening of the exhibition

Pretenzione Intenzione
Curated by Una Szeemann, Michele Robecchi, Bohdan Stehlik and Nicoletta Mongini.

After the closure of the Pink Factory, Harald Szeemann's archive was acquired by the Getty Research Institute in Los Angeles and, in part, by the Canton of Ticino. Some objects, left to the family, seemed to refuse any attempt at cataloguing, they were mysterious and indecipherable. Before closing, with an exhibition-event, they symbolically greeted that space. Ten years later, those same objects were observed and interpreted by the authors of the book Pretention. Now, with a new aura, return to Monte Verità for an exhibition in the air-light huts, loved by Szeemann himself. The exhibition will be free admission and will remain on display until August 31st.

Followed by a vegetarian aperitif. Registration is appreciated: [email protected]