Engadin Art Talks

Engadin Art Talks

UPCOMING EVENT

2025: E.A.T. X LAFAYETTE ANTICIPATIONS

About E.A.T.

Engadin Art Talks (E.A.T.) is a forum of art, architecture, design, literature, and innovation that regularly takes place in Zuoz in the Swiss Engadin valley. With a year-round public programme, E.A.T. aims to connect the arts with its neighbouring disciplines through insightful presentations, panel discussions, and participatory happenings that respond to urgent themes of our world. The forum's intention is to find novel perspectives on relevant topics that define our present and shape our future.

Browse the Archive

ALVARO BARRINGTON: EAT THE CAKE

(LA)HORDE: HOW TO WORK?

LORD NORMAN FOSTER AND REGULA CURTI: ARCHITECTURE AND CITIES

RICK LOWE AND SIDDHARTHA MITTER: THE ACCIDENTAL ARTIST

SIMONE FATTAL: VOIR C’EST PENSER (TO SEE IS TO THINK)

AI WEIWEI, ULI SIGG AND HANS ULRICH OBRIST: IN CONVERSATION

Publications and editions

TACTIQUE BY THÉO CASCIANI

MUSEUM OF THE FUTURE: NOW WHAT?

CERAMICS BY MATTHEW LUTZ-KINOY, NATSUKO UCHINO AND CERÁMICA LOS ARRAYANES

HOPE LESS / LESS HOPE BY AI WEIWEI

GALLERY

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At the Engadin Art Talks satellite event at Scala in St. Moritz (@scalarestaurantcinema) in January, Theaster Gates (@theastergates), Maja Hoffmann (@majahoffmann), Hans Ulrich Obrist (@hansulrichobrist), and Vassilis Oikonomopoulos (@vassilis_oikonomopoulos) gathered to discuss long-term artistic engagement, the evolving role of archives, and the intersections of art, ecology, and social responsibility.

Gates reflected on his transformative residency at LUMA Arles (@luma_arles), where he reimagined the exhibition format as a living, communal space — combining studio, audience, and local artisanship. Central to his intervention was the construction of a Japanese wood-fired kiln, intended to serve the region’s ceramists for generations. He also spoke of uncovering a 50,000-piece Afro-Caribbean music archive, now being preserved and digitised, emphasizing the spiritual life of objects and the responsibility of cultural stewardship.

Hoffmann, Obrist and Oikonomopoulos shared the story of LUMA Arles — from its beginnings on an industrial site to its emergence as a campus for art, research, and sustainability. With initiatives such as Atelier LUMA (@atelier_luma) and a deep commitment to artists’ archives, the foundation embraces long-term, interdisciplinary collaboration. The event highlighted the urgent need for institutions that move beyond the short-term exhibition cycle to champion enduring artistic, ecological, and social impact.

Want to hear more? Watch the video recordings of these conversations via the link in our bio!

Photos by Lukas Saxer (@lukassaxer).

#engadinarttalks #lumaarles #theastergates #majahoffmann #hansulrichobrist #vassisilsoikonomopoulos #artandecology #artistresidency #culturalarchives #longtermengagement #sustainableculture

At the satellite event of Engadin Art Talks that took place on January 26 in Scala in St. Moritz (@scalarestaurantcinema), artist Uman discussed her deeply personal and evolving artistic practice with Hans Ulrich Obrist (@hansulrichobrist).

Born in Somalia and now based in upstate New York, Uman spoke about her world-building approach, shaped by cross-cultural influences, solitude, and a desire for artistic independence. She reflected on her early rebellious creativity, drawing on school walls in Kenya, and how her work is rooted in memory, identity, and fluidity. Initially considering all her works self-portraits, she now views them as independent entities beyond personal biography, aspiring for a universal artistic language.

Uman also touched on her connection to nature, her years of solitude on a farm, and how she integrates calligraphy, found objects, and color symbolism in her practice. She revealed a public mosaic mural project for JFK Airport, emphasizing the lasting impact of her work. The conversation concluded with a discussion about dreams, which she often documents and sees as central to her creative process.

Want to hear more about Uman’s artistic practice? The video recordings of the St. Moritz satellite event are now online. Visit the online archive on our website to watch the recordings.

Photos by Lukas Saxer (@lukassaxer).

#uman #engadinarttalks #hansulrichobrist #stmoritzart #somaliartist #artandidentity #worldbuilding #artisticpractice #selfportraiture #contemporaryart #memoryandart #crossculturalart #artandnature #solitudeandcreativity #calligraphyart #foundobjectsart #colorsymbolism #publicart #jfkmural #artanddreams

During the 2025 edition of Engadin Art Talks, Norman Foster (@officialnormanfoster) discussed the future of cities, sustainability, and community-driven architecture. He traced his commitment to environmental design back to the 1960s, when the green movement emerged alongside figures like Buckminster Fuller and Rachel Carson. He emphasized that cities generate 90% of global wealth but also 70% of emissions, making urban planning critical for sustainability.

“The future of society is the future of our cities. How we design them — whether walkable and connected or sprawling and car-bound — will define our environmental and social future.”

Foster contrasted sprawling, car-dependent cities with compact, walkable ones like Zurich and Manhattan, arguing that denser cities are healthier, more efficient, and environmentally sustainable. He also highlighted his projects in Ukraine and India, where he works on community-led regeneration and informal settlement improvements.

The conversation concluded with La Punt, a new development in the Engadin that integrates local materials, renewable energy, and public spaces to foster community engagement. Foster emphasized that architecture should dissolve barriers, merging private and public spaces to create vibrant, sustainable urban environments.

Want to hear more about Foster’s architectural practice? Watch the video recording of his conversation with Hans Ulrich Obrist (@hansulrichobrist) and Regula Curti (@regula.curti) via the link in our bio.

Photos of Engadin Art Talks by Saskja Rosset (@saskja_rosset). Other images courtesy of Foster + Partners (@fosterandpartners).

#normanfoster #engadinarttalks #futureofcities #sustainablearchitecture #walkablecities #urbanplanning #communitydrivenarchitecture #greenurbanism #lapunt #regenerativedesign #publicspaces #environmentaldesign

The artist collective (LA)HORDE (@la.horde) — composed of Marine Brutti (@marinebrutti), Jonathan Debrouwer (@jonathan.debrouwer), and Arthur Harel (@arthurharel) — discussed their experimental approach to dance, movement, and digital culture at Engadin Art Talks 2025. Marine and Arthur, speaking on behalf of the group, described their engagement with internet-born dance communities, particularly through their work with jumpstyle dancers discovered on YouTube, leading to projects that blend traditional and contemporary movement.

They reflected on their leadership at Ballet National de Marseille (@balletnationaldemarseille), where they expanded the institution’s scope by integrating diverse dance styles and digital influences. Their work in Georgia highlighted the intersection of dance, politics, and resistance — especially in response to the crackdown on the techno club Bassiani (@basssiani), where protestors used dance as a form of defiance.

Throughout the discussion, (LA)HORDE emphasized the power of dance as a social connector, a political statement, and a way to break down artistic and cultural hierarchies. After their conversation with E.A.T. curator Daniel Baumann (@danielbaumannhitwestt), (LA)HORDE invited the entire audience to join them in an interactive exercise. Forming a large circle, they asked everyone to scream together — an act that turned the physical space into a temporary collective release, embodying their belief in movement and gesture as tools for connection, catharsis, and resistance.

Want to watch the video recording of their contribution? Click on the link in our bio.

Photos by Saskja Rosset (@saskja_rosset). Other images courtesy (LA)HORDE.

#lahorde #engadinarttalks #danceasresistance #collectivegesture #jumpstyle #digitalculture #balletnationaldemarseille #socialmovement #artandpolitics #performanceart #embodiedprotest