Breaking Views –
Basquiat Returns to
St. Moritz

This winter, the Hauser & Wirth gallery is proud to present a truly outstanding and unique exhibition that celebrates the life of Jean-Michel Basquiat and the works that he painted during his time in St. Moritz and the Engadin. It’s no secret that the stunning scenery and landscapes of the Engadin Valley have inspired countless artists, creatives and philosophers throughout the centuries, but the quote above from the exhibition’s catalogue encapsulates what it is that had such a profound effect on Basquiat’s art and beyond.

The exhibition, which has been catalysed by Iwan Wirth, Bruno Bischofberger as well as Basquiat experts and curators Dieter Buchhart and Anna Karina Hofbauer, will be the first time that these works have all been brought together from a variety of private collections. These individuals also contributed to the creation of the exhibition’s catalogue, which details the time Basquiat spent in Switzerland, featuring as yet unseen photos of Basquiat with the Bischofberger family, and shows him at work and play in St. Moritz.

Basquiat’s visits to Switzerland may have only been for a maximum of a week at times, but this was enough to imbue his work with an expansive Swiss lexicon. Basquiat’s love for and reaction to Switzerland’s cultural landscape is obvious at the exhibition, but I asked Buchhart what the reaction was from those who met Basquiat.

“People were fascinated by him. He had an incredible energy and aura, and that attracted and interested people. Of course, Bruno also had Francesco Clemente and Julian Schnabel [as clients], but Basquiat had this very special charisma that was unique to him, so it gave him these, you know, extra layers.”

Basquiat’s captivation with the region grew during his trip to Europe in 1982, when he held his first exhibition at the Galerie Bruno Bischofberger in Zurich. Bischofberger, who was instrumental in establishing St. Moritz’s deep connection with art at the time, became Basquiat’s art dealer. As depicted in Basquiat’s works and the exhibition catalogue, their relationship transcended the commercial and professional, and moved into a real friendship and respect for each other’s creativity and knowledge.

Basquiat visited St. Moritz seven times between 1982 and 1986, four in the summer, three in the winter, often staying at Bischofberger’s house in Appenzell or at the collector’s holiday home, Chesa Lodisa in St. Moritz. Here, Basquiat was given time, space and a safe family environment in which to create, reset, process, and explore the day’s events artistically.

The stillness and change of pace for him, far from New York’s peripatetic, unyielding energy, gave the artist more time for reflection, experiences, and interactions that were manifested within his works, as Buchhart explains.

“In the Engadin, I think he found beauty and family and friends. You see in his works that he is always referencing the Engadin, and the overwhelming sense of the landscape made a big impression on him. From the skiing resorts to the bull shows that he went to, where afterwards he made four absolute major drawings in a few hours … and these were real masterpieces connecting the language, the bratwurst, film and music, but always coming back to the Engadin.”

The Dutch Settlers is just one example of this; nine panels of separate images, hung as one, which address the important theme of slavery, juxtaposed with the depiction of an ibex next to a serene lake. The visual complexity of this piece has a counterpoint in intimate pieces such as Skifahrer – a cheeky depiction of a cheerful skier over a deep red canvas, and the lesser-seen Sea (Lake), both of which were originally intended to hang in the Bischofbergers’ dining room. And it continues. The Bischofbergers, Bruno in Appenzell, Bull Show One and Bull Show Two (which Buchhart references) are prime examples of how Basquiat weaved aspects of Swiss community, heritage, and allusions to the Engadin into his works – enhancing their deep appeal to visitors of the exhibition.

The exhibition catalogue also explores this connection in compelling detail, even featuring personal photos taken by the Bischofbergers of Basquiat during his time at Chesa Lodisa.

“The Polaroids in the catalogue have never been seen before, and the landscape pictures we feature in there have not been seen since 1985. It’s not even in the Navarra book (Enrico Navarra’s comprehensive publication of Basquiat’s works). It gives new images and ideas of Basquiat. From trying to make a hunting lodge (a drawing for one of Bischofberger’s dinners), and having these spot-on paintings for that, but on the other hand, having these highly complex drawings… it shows his genius.”

There are many reasons for holding an exhibition, ranging from giving new or emerging artists a platform, showcasing an artist’s new collection or, as in this case, celebrating an artist’s life or period of work. Buchhart explains why now is such a good time to shine a light on this lesser-known of Basquiat’s creative periods.

“To have one of the most important artists of the 20th century actually spend time in St. Moritz and the Engadin, who so loved his experience that it has shaped parts of his art. It’s fantastic to have such a major artist and the art itself coming back to the Engadin. The last time he was in the area was in 1986, and that was 40 years ago, so this is very much a homecoming. Within these paintings, you have all these connections, but you have the bratwurst, of course, but then you also have the symbol of the Cantons. For this New York artist from Brooklyn, developing his ideas in Manhattan, but now travelling the world, it’s very cool how he would take key information from the area, and make it his own vocabulary, and I think that’s really fascinating.”

Few would argue that a Basquiat exhibition isn’t a reason in itself to visit, but the effort it has taken to unify an artist’s work from a particular period and to hold it in the area where it was produced has taken some dedication. Many of the works on show are from the private collection of Bruno Bischofberger and the Galerie Bruno Bischofberger, as well other named collections and anonymous lenders. When visitors leave the show, what does Buchhart hope they will take away with them?

“I think people will take with them the surprise that this great New York artist had such a love for the Engadin and had such a true friendship with Bruno Bischofberger, was a guest at least twice after Christmas at this house, and that this art truly connects a great artist with the Engadin. This period was his core time, and what you’re witnessing is that this was the most creative period of a radical artist who really changed art history.”