– Thomas Hug opens an art salon in Gstaad
Despite the suspicions of fraud weighing on his shoulders, the founder of Artgenève is preparing to inaugurate a contemporary art fair.
Published today at 08:54
Thomas Hug, founder of the contemporary art fairs Artgenève and Gstaad Art.
JOHN THE BAPTIST
He is known for having founded the contemporary art fair Artgenève in 2012, which he directed until last year. He was in fact fired and the man is now the subject of a complaint, mainly for fraud. For now he remains presumed innocent. And he even plans to open the doors of a contemporary art fair in Gstaad in mid-February. I am not sure, however, that this can happen under the circumstances. But Thomas Hug is also a musician and has just released his first album, “First Hug”. It was presented on Thursday 18 January at the Les Salons theater in Geneva, in the form of an engaging show that combines music, clips, sculpture, readings, Argentine tango and pictorial works. The details…
How did the idea of an art fair in the Bernese town come about?
For three years I have wanted to set it up, to get closer to the collectors who live in the region. Particularly during “Rosey week,” as it is called. During this holiday period, the prestigious private school Rosey moves to Gstaad. And many international galleries wanted to be present there. This is already the case, for example, with Gagosian or Hauser & Wirth, who each have a gallery in the station.
But isn’t Gstaad Art in danger of duplicating Artgenève?
Most of the galleries present do not exhibit at Artgenève. And this project does not want to be frontal at the Geneva Motor Show at all. On the other hand, it represents great news for the station.
What characterizes it?
It is very exclusive as it only consists of 20 galleries. There is no desire for development. It will take place in the same space dedicated to the Menuhin classical music festival, over 2000 m2, a stone’s throw from the famous Promenade. Among the exhibitors we can mention White Cube, Air de Paris, Kreo and Kurimanzutto.
Tell us about your first album. What was its genesis?
I studied musicology in Geneva and Berlin. It’s a project I started about two years ago but have been thinking about for about fifteen years. It’s a fairly eclectic album, with moments that are sometimes instrumental, almost classical, sometimes electronic or pop, or even more literary. It looks like an operetta. To do this I collaborated with several artists, such as the photographer Richard Kern or Natalia Gonzalez Martin who created a limited edition screenprint for us. But also singers, actors and screenwriters.
Cover of the album “The First Embrace”.
JOHN THE BAPTIST
What are the sources of inspiration?
Hugging, in general. Hence the play on words in the album title, which is therefore my first and also refers to the English meaning of the word “hug”. Here it was the very contrasting style of the Romantic composer Charles-Valentin Alkan that inspired me. There is a great violence in his music, as well as an extreme sweetness. Subsequently the album is divided into three sections, three metaphors of embrace. And each one is inspired by a person: the three-star chef Alain Passard, the cosmologist Aurélien Barrau and his collection of poems “Météorites” and the stylist Jean Patou.
Sylvie Lefebvre-Guerreiro has been editor-in-chief of the Tribune des Arts magazine since 2021. Journalist with the same title since January 2000, she specializes in art, watchmaking and jewellery.More information
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2024-01-25 07:54:09
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