We like to give visibility to boundary-defying collaborations, non-profit projects, and alternative artists run spaces of which Project 1049 is a little bit of everything. Organized by artists Paul Kneale and Raphael Hefti, (rumor has it, artists are replacing curators) the exhibition grew out of the fertile soil laid by Elevation 1049 (also curated by artists) produced exclusively by the LUMA Foundation and art impresario Maja Hoffman. Project 1049 focuses on emerging practitioners from different countries and different fields: artists, writers, curators, and musicians. Each presenting newly commissioned work for a site-specific location, such as mountaintops, bunkers and the sky.

Thursday, July 28

The summer season of art is so quiet that in order to find a great show you have to make a great pilgrimage. We are heading off to one of the most remote art locations, Gstaad. Just a small village with only a few locals (it's said there are more cows than people), it is a deep valley at the heart of the Swiss Bernese Oberland. If part of seeing great in person is the effort it takes to get there, then Project 1049 benefits from the journey itself. There are no planes to Gstaad, so we take a romantic railway journey up the valleys from Lake Geneva.

We like to give visibility to boundary-defying collaborations, non-profit projects, and alternative artists run spaces of which Project 1049 is a little bit of everything. Organized by artists Paul Kneale and Raphael Hefti, (rumor has it, artists are replacing curators) the exhibition grew out of the fertile soil laid by Elevation 1049 (also curated by artists) produced exclusively by the LUMA Foundation and art impresario Maja Hoffman. Project 1049 focuses on emerging practitioners from different countries and different fields: artists, writers, curators, and musicians. Each presenting newly commissioned work for a site-specific location, such as mountaintops, bunkers and the sky.

Thursday, July 28

When we arrive in the beautiful summer Alps, our first stop is to see the outdoor exhibition “Calder in the Alps” organized by Hauser & Wirth and composed of standing mobiles and five stabiles from the 1960's and 1970's, exhibited in Switzerland for the first time. The incredible juxtaposition of Alexander Calder's lyrical perfect modernist angles against the awe-inspiring mountainscape is something that can only be experienced soaking up the sun in an unfiltered world of green pastures. We are grateful to be in relative isolation contemplating these landmark works in a location that Calder himself would have found inspiring. Pieces are curated into the locations that create a small tour including Lauenensee, Kirche Saanen, and on the promenade and in the grounds of Le Grand Bellevue hotel in Gstaad.

Friday, July 29

The opening night of Project 1049, the reason why we came, gets kicked off with a special dinner prepared by artists at Huus Hotel. After dinner we heard everyone was going on a hike, it takes fresh mountain air to get us to feel sporty.
 

Saturday, July 30

There is a tour of the exhibition guided by the curators starting at Saanen Railway station; it’s an excellent chance to hear artists-as-curators talk about an exhibition. At night there is a film premiere at Ciné-Theater Gstaad, in a tongue and cheek way there will be a ‘red carpet’ and what art world destination couldn't use one of those. Project 1049 can make you feel like an insider, and this is one of those moments to join the elite for dinner. After, there is a performance by co-organizer Raphael Hefti viewed from outside the Huus Hotel where also at midnight the Cave party gets in full swing.

Ciné-Theater, Suterstrasse 6, 3780 Gstaad
Huus Hotel, Schönriedstrasse 74, 3792 Saanen

Sunday, July 31

We are taking our time seeing the exhibition, after the curator tour, there is no rush. Sunday has a lot to do, our you can just relax. After all, Gstaad is one of the greatest resort villages in the world. After a breakfast with coffee and local-made cheese, we head off to Megan Rooney's live performance featuring new audio works and choreography for eight dancers. It is set on the top of the picturesque Glacier 3000 on a suspension bridge that runs between two mountain peaks. Afterward is one of the highlights of Gstaad for us, the poetry reading and live music organized by Publishing House, which is ‘nom de plume’ of the incredible young talented Harry Burke.

Huus Hotel, Schönriedstrasse 74, 3792 Saanen

After a hopefully sun-drenched weekend at such a picturesque scenery, we are heading back to Berlin.

– Justin Polera