A & A Gallery, School of Art, Yale University
A & O Kulturforum
A 11 Art Forum
a Marca, Luigi
∗ 25.5.1959 Zürich
Skulpteur
A plus A Gallery
A Pro Pos
a publik
à suivre...
A tempera
A Wengen, Hans Rudolf
∗ 1704 Basel, † 1772 Basel
Dekorationsmaler. Supraporten und Landschafts-Zeichnungen. Sohn und Schüler des Leonhard A Wengen
A Wengen, Johann Matthias
∗ 7.1.1805 Basel, † 21.11.1874 Basel
Maler. Veduten aus der Umgebung Basels. Bruder von Samuel A Wengen
A Wengen, Leonhard
∗ 1680 Basel, † 1721 Basel
Dekorationsmaler. Supraporten. Landschaften. Onkel von Hans Rudolf A Wengen
A Wengen, Samuel
∗ 2.11.1822 Basel, † 10.7.1905 Basel
Maler. Veduten aus der Umgebung Basels und des Berner Oberlandes. Bruder von Johann Matthias A Wengen
à Wengen, Stefan
∗ 12.8.1964 Basel
Maler und Zeichner. Seit 2016 auch Objekte. Mitbegründer und Kurator von SPAM-Contemporary, Düsseldorf
Å+
a+mbookstore
A-DASH
a.a.1 KulturRaum
A.P.T Gallery
A.R.THUR
∗ 23.1.1920 Lucerne, † 1.12.2009 Marseille
Peintre et dessinateur. Portraits
A/D
A03 Art Space
A1 M.O.V.E.
AAAS. Advancing Science Service Society
Aachener Kunstverein
Aarbergerhaus
Aarbergerhus Ligerz
Aarburg, Christian von
∗ 15.3.1967 Fribourg
Peintre, sculpteur, vidéaste
Aarburg, Monika von
∗ 24.2.1972 Chur
Mixed Media, Installation und Fotografie. Mitbegründerin des Künstlerkollektivs FLEX
Aargauer Kunsthaus
Aargauer Kuratorium
Aargauischer Kunstverein
Aargauischer Staat
Aarhus
Aarhus Kunstbygning
Aarlo u Viggo
AB - Arte Bastia
AB ART
AB Contemporary
AB Gallery
AB Gallery across borders
ab43 contemporary
Abächerli, Olivia
∗ 20.7.1992 Stans
Zusammenarbeit mit Amélie Bodenmann als Kollektiv DUELL ab 2016
Abart, Franz
∗ 22.12.1769 Schlinig, † 10.9.1863 Kerns (St. Niklausen)
Holzbildhauer. Kruzifixe, Darstellungen von Heiligen und Figuren aus der Schweizer Geschichte. Klassizistische Kirchenausstattungen in der Innerschweiz
Abati, Ralf
∗ 22.2.1964 Zürich
Innendekorateur und Airbrusher. Malerei und Zeichnung
ABB Schweiz
ABB-Industriegelände
Abbas, Rashid
∗ 1.7.1956 Falouja
Sculpteur, peintre, dessinateur et enseignant. Relief
Abbatiale de Bellelay
Abbatiale de Payerne
Abbatiale de Romainmôtier
Abbatiale de Vertheuil
Abbaye de Bonmont
Abbaye de Maubuisson
Abbaye de Noirlac
Abbaye du Mont-Saint-Michel
Abbaye Royale de Fontevraud
Abbey Hotel
Abbey San Giorgio Maggiore
Abbondio, Antonio (il Giovane)
∗ 1538 Milano, † 3.5.1591 Vienna
Medaglista, scultore e modellatore in cera di Ascona. Ritratti. Attivo alle corti di Boemia, di Vienna e di Monaco
Abbondio, Fiorenzo
∗ 22.6.1892 Ascona, † 13.3.1980 Muralto
Scultore. Monumenti, tombe, busti, opere di soggetto religioso e patriottico
Abbot Hall Art Gallery
Abbt Projects
Abbt, Mathilde
∗ 1.4.1890 Hermetschwil, † 13.1.1957 Hermetschwil
Malerin und Zeichenlehrerin. Landschaften, Interieurs und Stillleben
Abbühl, Ernestina
∗ 1.6.1967 Samedan
Objektkünstlerin. Arbeitet mit Wachs und Papier
Abdullah, Selim
∗ 13.5.1950 Bagdad
Scultore
Abegg
[1743 Schwyz]
Schwyzer Bildhauer. Schnitzte 1743 für die Pfarrkirche Schwyz einen Palmesel
Abegg, Hans
[1480 Bern]
Glasmaler. 1480 Auftrag vom Berner Rat für Fenster in der Stiftskirche Zofingen
Abegg, Konrad
∗ 23.11.1950 Flüelen
Maler, Zeichner und Grafiker. Wandmalerei
Abegg-Bürkli, Hermann
∗ 8.6.1868 Zürich, † 23.1.1958 Zürich
Zeichenlehrer, Maler und Grafiker. Bildnisse und Landschaften. Plakate
Abegglen, Anne
∗ 17.3.1941 Interlaken, † 3.9.2022 Affoltern am Albis
Malerin und Zeichnerin. Interdisziplinäres Schaffen und Kunst im öffentlichen Raum
Abegglen, Johann Gottfried
∗ 17.12.1867 Iseltwald, † 7.9.1946 Zürich
Bildhauer
Abegglen-Blatter, Peter
∗ 1871 Ringgenberg, † 30.5.1938 Ringgenberg
Ornament-Bildhauer
Abegglen-Perrin, Ulrich
∗ 22.10.1826 Iseltwald, † 19.1.1886 Iseltwald
Holzschnitzer
Abegglen-Ryter, Alfred
∗ 5.5.1861 Iseltwald, † 15.9.1940 Iseltwald
Schnitzler und Landwirt
Abel, Edeltraud
∗ 28.4.1924 Königsberg (Kaliningrad), † 4.1.1994 Zürich
Malerin und Grafikerin. Monotypie
Abel, Paul
∗ 21.7.1904 Basel, † 13.10.1978 Monselice
Maler. Landschaften, Stillleben und Bildnisse. Drahtplastiken nach Entwürfen anderer Künstler
Abeljanz, Arthur
∗ 20.5.1885 Zürich, † 14.10.1970 Zürich
Bildhauer. Bauplastik, Bildnisbüsten, Freiplastiken und Grabdenkmäler
Abella, Ricardo
∗ 3.7.1950 San Miguel de Tucumán
Peintre et dessinateur argentin. Sculpture et gravure. Installation. En Suisse depuis 1986
Abellan-Flaig, Anna
∗ 17.4.1956 Bern
Sculptrice
Abels Gemälde-Galerie
Abend-Galerie
Aberdeen Art Gallery
Aberli, Hans
[1531 Brugg]
Maler und Stadtknecht in Winterthur. 1531 Bemalung der Uhr des Obertorturms in Brugg
Aberli, Jakob Friedrich
∗ 24.9.1800 Winterthur, † 19.12.1872 Winterthur
Graveur, Medailleur und Steinschneider
Aberli, Johann
∗ 5.1.1774 Murten, † 24.4.1851 Winterthur
Medailleur, Steinschneider. Neffe von Johann Ludwig Aberli
Aberli, Johann Ludwig
∗ 14.11.1723 Winterthur, † 17.10.1786 Bern
Landschaftsmaler, Porträtist, Radierer, Zeichner, Kolorist und Verleger. Kolorierte Umrissradierungen (Aberlische Manier)
Abesch
[Ende 17.-Ende 18. Jahrhundert]
Maler- und Hinterglasmalerfamilie aus Sursee, Ende 17. bis Ende 18. Jahrhundert. Führte die Hinterglasmalerei in der Innerschweiz zu hoher Blüte
Abesch, Anna Barbara
∗ 23.3.1706 Sursee, † 15.2.1773 Sursee
Hinterglasmalerin. Tätig in Sursee. Mitglied der Künstlerfamilie Abesch. Tochter des Johann Peter Abesch
Abesch, Hans Peter Anton
∗ 13.6.1670 Sursee, † 1740
Hinterglasmaler. Mitglied der Künstlerfamilie Abesch. Vetter von Johann Peter und Katharina Abesch
Abesch, Johann Peter
∗ 15.8.1666 Sursee, † 29.1.1731 Sursee
Maler und Hinterglasmaler. Begründer der Hinterglasmalerei in Sursee und Mitglied der Künstlerfamilie Abesch. Vater von Peter Anton und Anna Barbara Abesch
Abesch, Katharina
∗ 20.12.1660 Sursee, † 1.4.1690 Sursee
Hinterglasmalerin. Tätig in Sursee. Mitglied der Künstlerfamilie Abesch. Schwester von Johann Peter Abesch
Abesch, Peter Anton
∗ 2.2.1703, † nach 1735
Geistlicher und Hinterglasmaler. Mitglied der Künstlerfamilie Abesch. Sohn von Johann Peter Abesch
Abguss-Sammlung Antiker Plastik
Abiéniste, Jean-Jacques
∗ 5.12.1907 Paris, † 17.6.1998 Genève
Peintre et dessinateur
Abitare M. Hürlimann AG
-able
Ablutz, Hans Jakob
[1681 Bremgarten]
Maler aus Mellingen. 1681 Auftrag zur Ausmalung der Uhr am Spitalturm in Bremgarten
ABN AMRO Bank, Basel
Above Second Gallery
Research portal by SIK-ISEA
All contentSIKART LexiconCatalogues raisonnésCollections and projects

This site uses cookies for anonymised analytics and HTML5 Web Storage to locally store information like language choice, in order to ensure you get the best experience on our site.

Felice Varini

∗ 6.3.1952 Locarno

Yes

Autore di interventi pittorici e installazioni fotografiche in situ

Raised in Locarno, Felice Varini took an apprenticeship as a window dresser, then moved to Geneva (1972–78) where he worked in the field of experimental theatre. Since 1978 he has lived in Paris. That same year he began a self-taught activity as a painter whose work is in direct rapport with its architectural context. In more than 330 works carried out between 1979 and 2013, Varini worked in a wide variety of locations: industrial settings, private housing, museums, urban spaces, schools and monumental complexes, even entire settlements (Vercorin in 2009 and Salon-de-Provence in 2013). During the second half of the 1980s, he also employed photography in his works. His first solo exhibition was held in Paris in 1981; since 1985 he has shown regularly in Europe (in Switzerland and France in particular), and since the 1990s and 2000s also in the USA, Latin America and Asia. In 1988 he represented Switzerland at the Venice Biennale (Church of San Stae) and in 1992 participated in the Swiss Pavilion in the Universal Exposition in Seville. In 2000 he was nominated for the Marcel Duchamp Prize. His first retrospective was given in 2013 at the Galerie HAB in Nantes.

Searching for new ways to interact with architectural space through the attributes of pictorial representation, at the end of the 1970s Varini began to develop a technique that embraced the environment as a whole (walls, flooring, ceiling, corridors, all types of details). His working procedure starts from the definition of a viewpoint situated at the height of his eyes, from which, with the aid of a back projector, he projects a flat geometric figure or linear motif into his working space. He then traces the figure out with a pencil and then paints over it with acrylics (or covers it using adhesive tape) in red, blue, yellow, black or white. Although the image appears whole and formally coherent when seen from this viewpoint, from any other position the observer’s gaze is met by an unexpected jumble of disjointed elements. The work is achieved through this discontinuity of perception, in the relationship between the various viewpoints and profusion of optical perceptions generated by the encounter between the painted image and the characteristics of the architectural context.

Whereas Varini’s working method remains unvaried, the forms he represents – which are sometimes described in the title of the work – are manifold. Whether simple or complex polygons, circles and ellipses, linear progressions or sequences of repeated elements, Varini constantly develops both his abstract vocabulary and the ways to instate his painting in internal and external environments. In small settings he uses mirrors in which he converges the viewpoint (since 1990).

During the second half of the 1980s, he explored the theme of the viewpoint through the inclusion of photography in his work, by laying life-size shots of architectural details in black-and-white over the details themselves. All Varini’s works are developed for a particular site but maintain their autonomy: described in a certificate, they can be recreated in a new setting congruent with the spatial premises of the original.

Varini’s pictorial work in space follows in the tradition that, from the Constructivist and neoplastic avant-gardes, has evolved into the site-specific practice of Daniel Buren. Transcending a two-dimensional painting and static, frontal viewing, the support for Varini’s works become the architectural space and physical environment. The fact that the viewer’s perception of the work is not static calls into play our experience of reality in all its complexity, as it does our visual mechanisms and our relationship with space. Artists whose pictorial practice might be numbered among Varini’s principal references are Niele Toroni and François Morellet.

Works: Basel, UBS Aeschenplatz; Geneva, Hôtel des Postes; Limoges, Centre Européen de la céramique; London, Victoria & Albert Museum; Lugano, Autosilo LAC, Collezione Città di Lugano; Lugano, Museo cantonale d’arte; Manno, UBS Lugano-Suglio; Parigi, Ministère de la Culture et de la Communication; Paris, Musée national d’art moderne Centre Georges Pompidou; Paris, Société Foncière Lyonnaise; St. Gall, University; Vitry-sur-Seine, MAC/VAL Musée d’art contemporain du Val-de-Marne.

Maddalena Disch, 1998, updated by the editors, 2014

Translation: Timothy Stroud

Citation guideline:
Maddalena Disch: “Felice Varini.” In SIKART Lexicon on art in Switzerland, 2014 (first published 1998).
https://recherche.sik-isea.ch/sik:person-4004324/in/sikart

Felice Varini. Place by place. [Text: Doris von Drathen]. Zürich: Lars Müller Publishers, 2014 [Übersetzung der französischen Ausgabe, Zürich 2013].

Felice Varini, peintre-plasticien. Régie: David Teboul. ARTE France, 2009 (L'art et la matière), 26 minutes.

Felice Varini, 1952-: Felice Varini: “Cercle et suite d'éclats” : première édition. Sierre: R&art, 2009.

Felice Varini. Points de vue. Textes de Fabiola López-Durán. Baden: Lars Müller Publishers, 2004.

Rectangle orange évidé par cinq disques via le passage. Réalisation: Antoine De Roux. Production: Peugeot, Saguez, Double Elephant, 2003, 18 minutes.

<Segni> di Felice Varini. Realizzazione: Giovanni Varini. Produzione: Città di Bellinzona, 2002, 25 minuti.

Grazia Verzasconi: Felice Varini: sguardo su un <lavoro in corso>. [Dattiloscritto]. Memoria di licenza Università di Zurigo, 2000.

Johannes Meinhardt: Die Wirklichkeit der ästhetischen Illusion. Felice Varinis “Blickfallen”. The Reality of Aesthetic Illusion. Felice Varini's “Blickfallen” - Eye Traps. La realtà dell'illusione estetica. Le “trappole visive” di Felice Varini. Lugano: Edizioni Studio Dabbeni, 1999.

Felice Varini. Réalisation: Christophe Loizillon. Production: Agat Films. Paris: Centre Georges Pompidou, 1997, 21 minutes.

«Niele Toroni. Felice Varini». In: Temporale. Rivista d'arte e di cultura, IX, 1995, 36/37. A cura di Maddalena Disch. pp. 19-38.

Felice Varini. Musée d'art moderne de la Ville de Paris, 1994. [Introduction:] Angeline Scherf; [textes:] René Denizot, Bernard Fibicher. Paris, 1994.

Felice Varini. Musée d'art moderne de la Ville de Paris, 1994. Catalogue-vidéo réalisé par Giovanni Varini. Paris, 1994.

Felice Varini. Sion, Musée cantonal des beaux-arts, 1985. [Testes:] Bernard Fibicher. Sion: Musées cantonaux du Valais, 1985.