Gertrud Dubi Müller, Van Gogh, and a Cabriolet: Curating a Swiss Pioneer at Kunstmuseum Basel

In this episode of “Conversations with Curators,” we speak with Géraldine Meyer, Curator of the Im Obersteg Foundation at the Kunstmuseum Basel since 2022. She explains how her art history and curatorial studies led to developing an exhibition that grew from a small display into a major show about collector Gertrud Dübi-Müller. She unpacks the title “Hodler, Van Gogh, and a Cabriolet". The conversation covers Dubi Müller’s orphaned childhood, artistic network, roles as collector, photographer, muse, and mountaineer, and the exhibition’s themed, chronological rooms with letters and postcards, plus a related Imhoof collection show and a planned 2028 Orangerie exhibition in Paris.

Gertrud Dübi-Müller was one of Switzerland’s foremost art collectors, a passionate photographer, driver of motorcars, and mountaineer, and she sat for Ferdinand Hodler and other artists: in Van Gogh, Hodler and a Cabriolet, the Kunstmuseum Basel presents the first extensive exhibition dedicated to Gertrud Dübi-Müller (Solothurn, 1888–Solothurn, 1980). Around eighty works by renowned artists from her international collection, arresting photographs, and previously unpublished documents shed light on Dübi-Müller’s life and illustrate her influential role in the history of art and culture in unprecedented breadth.

Cover Image Credits:

Titel: Ferdinand Hodler painting Gertrud Müller, Geneva
Artist & Participants: Gertrud Dübi-Müller, Umkreis / circle
Year: 1916
Material / Technik: Fotografie, Inkjetprint von digitalisiertem Glaspositiv
Objekt-ID: 118877
Creditline: Gertrud Dübi-Müller-Archiv / Fotostiftung Schweiz

In this special bonus episode of Conversation With Curators, we speak with Tobias Brenk, Artistic Director of Kaserne, Basel one of Switzerland's most prominent centers for contemporary performing arts, and popular music. Tobias officially took over the leadership for the 2023/2024 season and recently had his contract extended through June 30, 2030.

We delve into Kaserne's rich history, tracing its transformation from a monastery to a military barracks and eventually to a cultural center. We also discuss its picturesque riverside setting and how Tobias's return to lead the institution builds upon decades of his involvement. Tobias shares his artistic journey so far, the residencies at Kaserne, and examines the complex Swiss colonial-economic entanglements. He explains Kaserne's approach to intercontinental work through extended residencies that foster connections between visiting artists and the local Lab Kaserne community. We highlight projects by artists from Chile and Mozambique that have gained international recognition. And explore what makes Kaserne such a pivotal hub for artists and innovators. Tobias envisions Kaserne as a broader cultural hub, collaborating with partners on-site, cultivating a young, politically engaged audience, reducing language barriers, and hosting thought-provoking debates. He reflects on the political significance of art, the importance of open discussions, and expresses his hope that Kaserne will remain a place of both "home and experiment."

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Our podcast series, Conversations with Curators, brings listeners a collection of audio stories that go beyond travel to explore the soul of Switzerland as an art capital. In this series, we focus on in-depth interviews with museum curators across the country. Hear firsthand about their institutions, the histories behind their collections, and the unique perspectives they bring to preserving Swiss culture.

From intimate conversations about curatorial choices to behind-the-scenes insights into exhibitions, every episode captures the voices shaping Switzerland's cultural landscape. Alongside museums, we also feature stories about Swiss cities, iconic brands, and the rich traditions that make the country unique.

In the first season, "Conversations with Curators," celebrates the legacy of Basel's Art and Culture. Nestled within just 42 square kilometers, Basel is home to nearly 40 museums and many inistitutions for Art and Culture, making it a true city of art and culture. In this series, we sit down with curators from across the museums of the city to explore the stories behind the collections, the ideas shaping exhibitions, and the passion that keeps Basel's museums alive. From world-renowned institutions to hidden gems, from the largest to the smallest, join us as we uncover the voices behind the art and heritage that make Basel a museum capital of not just Switzerland, but Europe.

Discover Switzerland through the eyes of those who safeguard its heritage, one interview at a time.

After a decade, Andreas Ruby left his post as director of the S AM Swiss Architecture Museum at the end of 2025. On October 6, the Board of Trustees confirmed the search committee's unanimous proposal to appoint Adam Szymczyk as the new Director of S AM. Born in 1970, Szymczyk studied art history at the University of Warsaw and completed the curatorial training program at De Appel in Amsterdam. In 1997, he co-founded the Foksal Gallery Foundation in Warsaw. He worked as director and curator at Kunsthalle Basel between 2002 and 2014, curating over 80 exhibitions.

Adam Szymczyk sees works and projects by architects and artists as responding to pressing issues of our time, such as the need for meaningful and responsible use of resources, as well as the social relevance of the profession and its actors. In Szymczyk's work, critical examination of history serves as an inspiration for the present and serves to define a vision for the future. Beyond the sensory quality of his exhibitions, Szymczyk's curatorial practice is characterized by precision of observations and clarity in communication with the audience, and similar qualities were also evident in his presentation to the selection committee.

Stories from Museums of Switzerland: Podcast Interview Series with Museum Curators

Our podcast series, Conversations with Curators, brings listeners a collection of audio stories that go beyond travel to explore the soul of Switzerland as an art capital. In this series, we focus on in-depth interviews with museum curators across the country. Hear firsthand about their institutions, the histories behind their collections, and the unique perspectives they bring to preserving Swiss culture.

From intimate conversations about curatorial choices to behind-the-scenes insights into exhibitions, every episode captures the voices shaping Switzerland's cultural landscape. Alongside museums, we also feature stories about Swiss cities, iconic brands, and the rich traditions that make the country unique.

In the first season, "Conversations with Curators," celebrates the legacy of Basel's museums. Nestled within just 42 square kilometers, Basel is home to nearly 40 museums—making it a true city of art and culture. In this series, we sit down with curators from across the museums of the city to explore the stories behind the collections, the ideas shaping exhibitions, and the passion that keeps Basel's museums alive. From world-renowned institutions to hidden gems, from the largest to the smallest, join us as we uncover the voices behind the art and heritage that make Basel a museum capital of not just Switzerland, but Europe.

Discover Switzerland through the eyes of those who safeguard its heritage—one interview at a time.

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In the latest episode of "Conversations with Curators," we delve into the fascinating intersection of art, machines, and human consciousness with artist Nicolas Darrot at the Tinguely Museum in Basel. Nicolas shares his artistic journey, highlighting his transition from traditional architectural studies to the dynamic world of kinetic art. Influenced by the vibrant student community at the Fine Arts School in Paris, Nicolas explains how the lack of a formal kinetic arts course led him to experiment with simple machines, which eventually evolved into complex sculptures involving electronics and programming. The exhibition titled "Fuzzy Logic" at the Tinguely Museum explores the nuanced concept of artificial intelligence that operates beyond binary code. Nicolas contrasts this with the human experience of learning and evolving, observing his child's growth paralleled with the advancements in robotics.

Stories from Museums of Switzerland: Podcast Interview Series with Museum Curators

Our podcast series, Conversations with Curators, brings listeners a collection of audio stories that go beyond travel to explore the soul of Switzerland as an art capital. In this series, we focus on in-depth interviews with museum curators across the country. Hear firsthand about their institutions, the histories behind their collections, and the unique perspectives they bring to preserving Swiss culture.

From intimate conversations about curatorial choices to behind-the-scenes insights into exhibitions, every episode captures the voices shaping Switzerland's cultural landscape. Alongside museums, we also feature stories about Swiss cities, iconic brands, and the rich traditions that make the country unique.

In the first season, "Conversations with Curators," celebrates the legacy of Basel's museums. Nestled within just 42 square kilometers, Basel is home to nearly 40 museums—making it a true city of art and culture. In this series, we sit down with curators from across the museums of the city to explore the stories behind the collections, the ideas shaping exhibitions, and the passion that keeps Basel's museums alive. From world-renowned institutions to hidden gems, from the largest to the smallest, join us as we uncover the voices behind the art and heritage that make Basel a museum capital of not just Switzerland, but Europe.

Discover Switzerland through the eyes of those who safeguard its heritage—one interview at a time. Follow Conversation With Curators, wherever you get your podcasts:

In this edition of Conversation With Curators, we speak with Nadia Guth Biasini, a prominent Swiss patron of the arts and expert in Jewish history. She is the President of the Association for the Jewish Museum of Switzerland in Basel. Nadia is the daughter of the museum's founder, Katia Guth-Dreyfus, and has played a pivotal role in the museum's recent relocation and expansion to a new, larger site in late 2025.

In this episode, we have a second guest too. We also speak with Dr. Naomi Lubrich, director of the Jewish Museum of Switzerland. Born in Toronto in 1976, Dr. Lubrich studied literature and art history in New York and Berlin, specializing in Jewish studies and costume history. An author of multiple books like 'A study on Swiss war secrets', she has also worked at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Jewish Museum Berlin.

This episode celebrates the 100th anniversary of Dr. Katia Guth-Dreyfus, who was born in 1926. She was a pioneer in preserving Jewish material culture and was the first woman to deliver an official speech in the Basel Synagogue following its renovation in the 1980s. The anniversary celebrations will take place in April 2026.

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Stories from Museums of Switzerland: Podcast Interview Series with Museum Curators

Our podcast series, Conversations with Curators, brings listeners a collection of audio stories that go beyond travel to explore the soul of Switzerland as an art capital. In this series, we focus on in-depth interviews with museum curators across the country. Hear firsthand about their institutions, the histories behind their collections, and the unique perspectives they bring to preserving Swiss culture.

From intimate conversations about curatorial choices to behind-the-scenes insights into exhibitions, every episode captures the voices shaping Switzerland's cultural landscape. Alongside museums, we also feature stories about Swiss cities, iconic brands, and the rich traditions that make the country unique.

In the first season, "Conversations with Curators," celebrates the legacy of Basel's museums. Nestled within just 42 square kilometers, Basel is home to nearly 40 museums—making it a true city of art and culture. In this series, we sit down with curators from across the museums of the city to explore the stories behind the collections, the ideas shaping exhibitions, and the passion that keeps Basel's museums alive. From world-renowned institutions to hidden gems, from the largest to the smallest, join us as we uncover the voices behind the art and heritage that make Basel a museum capital of not just Switzerland, but Europe.

Discover Switzerland through the eyes of those who safeguard its heritage—one interview at a time.

Curating Carl Cheng: Nature Never Loses with Alex Klein at Museum Tinguely, Switzerland

Alex Klein, Deborah Dupré Head Curator and Director of Curatorial Affairs, The Contemporary Austin; discusses her curatorial background that spans over two decades and how her training as an artist and art historian shaped her five-year research into Carl Cheng's previously undocumented archive for the traveling exhibition "Nature Never Loses."

Klein describes first encountering Cheng through experimental photography, then discovering broader works like the erosion machines, leading to a grant-funded, COVID-era process of weekly archive reviews with Cheng. She explains Cheng's philosophy that "nature never loses," his critiques of capitalism, branding, and authorship (including the John Doe Co alter ego), and the exhibition's non-chronological, six-section structure across multiple venues, including the Museum Tinguely in Basel through May 2026. Key works discussed include Anthropocene Landscapes which are made up of circuit boards, the sand rake installation, erosion machines, molded plastic photographs, the Avocado Laboratory, and public art tools like Walk On L.A.; Klein also outlines the curator's advocacy, logistics, and restoration needs.

Mentioned in the show:

Stories from Museums of Switzerland: Podcast Interview Series with Museum Curators

Our podcast series, Conversations with Curators, brings listeners a collection of audio stories that go beyond travel to explore the soul of Switzerland as an art capital. In this series, we focus on in-depth interviews with museum curators across the country. Hear firsthand about their institutions, the histories behind their collections, and the unique perspectives they bring to preserving Swiss culture.

From intimate conversations about curatorial choices to behind-the-scenes insights into exhibitions, every episode captures the voices shaping Switzerland's cultural landscape. Alongside museums, we also feature stories about Swiss cities, iconic brands, and the rich traditions that make the country unique.

In the first season, "Conversations with Curators," celebrates the legacy of Basel's museums. Nestled within just 42 square kilometers, Basel is home to nearly 40 museums—making it a true city of art and culture. In this series, we sit down with curators from across the museums of the city to explore the stories behind the collections, the ideas shaping exhibitions, and the passion that keeps Basel's museums alive. From world-renowned institutions to hidden gems, from the largest to the smallest, join us as we uncover the voices behind the art and heritage that make Basel a museum capital of not just Switzerland, but Europe.

Discover Switzerland through the eyes of those who safeguard its heritage—one interview at a time.

 Cover Image: Carl Cheng, Documentation of 'Santa Monica Art Tool' and its installation 'Walk on LA', Santa Monica State Beach, 1988. Courtesy Carl Cheng

In this episode of 'Conversations with Curators,' host Ajita engages with Dr. Ulf Küster, the Senior Curator at Switzerland's renowned Fondation Beyeler. The discussion centers around the first-ever solo exhibition dedicated to Paul Cézanne at the Fondation, exploring the thematic distribution, architectural allure, and curatorial journey involved in setting up this exhibit. Featuring approximately 80 works, including 58 oil paintings and 21 watercolors, sourced from prestigious collections worldwide, the exhibition delves into the nuances of Cézanne's final and most impactful phase. You gain insights into Cézanne's innovative techniques, such as his unique approach to 'still lives' and his use of unfinished canvases to involve viewers actively. Dr. Küster reflects on Cézanne's influence on modern art and how his revolutionary approach continues to inspire contemporary artists. The episode concludes with details about the interactive watercolor studio and a short film on Cézanne's life and art.

Stories from Museums of Switzerland: Podcast Interview Series with Museum Curators

Our podcast series, Conversations with Curators, brings listeners a collection of audio stories that go beyond travel to explore the soul of Switzerland as an art capital. In this series, we focus on in-depth interviews with museum curators across the country. Hear firsthand about their institutions, the histories behind their collections, and the unique perspectives they bring to preserving Swiss culture.

From intimate conversations about curatorial choices to behind-the-scenes insights into exhibitions, every episode captures the voices shaping Switzerland's cultural landscape. Alongside museums, we also feature stories about Swiss cities, iconic brands, and the rich traditions that make the country unique.

In the first season, "Conversations with Curators," celebrates the legacy of Basel's museums. Nestled within just 42 square kilometers, Basel is home to nearly 40 museums—making it a true city of art and culture. In this series, we sit down with curators from across the museums of the city to explore the stories behind the collections, the ideas shaping exhibitions, and the passion that keeps Basel's museums alive. From world-renowned institutions to hidden gems, from the largest to the smallest, join us as we uncover the voices behind the art and heritage that make Basel a museum capital of not just Switzerland, but Europe.

Discover Switzerland through the eyes of those who safeguard its heritage—one interview at a time.

Episode Artwork Copyright:

Paul Cezanne, La Montagne Sainte-Victoire Vue Des Lauves (Montagne Sainte-Victoire as seen from Les Lauves, 1904/05. Oil on canvas, 63.8 x 81.6 cm, The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, Missouri, purchase William Rockhill Nelson Trust. Image courtesy of Nelson-Atkins Digital Production & Preservation

In this edition of Conversations With Curators, we speak to Florian Setz, Co-Curator, History Museum, Basel Switzerland. One of the largest Roman silver treasure hoards in Europe is on display at the Basel Historical Museum. The exhibition, titled "Treasure Hoards – Hidden, Lost, Found," showcases the most spectacular finds from the Basel region. Treasures from the Bronze Age to the present day are on display, found in north-west Switzerland, Alsace, and southern Baden. The exhibition will run from October 16, 2025, to June 28, 2026, in the Barfüsserkirche.

The valuable objects were once buried, hidden, or sunk in the Rhine for various reasons. They serve as witnesses to the wealth and religious practices of the past, as well as the war, persecution, and personal fates that are closely intertwined with the history of the tri-national region. The oldest treasure was hidden over 3,500 years ago, while the newest was discovered in 1995. The exhibition not only focuses on the treasures themselves but also on the amazing stories of their discovery. Some finds were made by chance, while others were brought to light through meticulous archaeological work.

One of the highlights of the exhibition is the Roman silver treasure from Kaiseraugst, one of the largest in Europe. The exhibition presents 270 objects made from almost 60 kilograms of silver.

Another intriguing find is the counterfeit money from Läufel-fingen. Also on display is a Celtic gold treasure discovered in 1883 by construction workers repairing flood damage to the Rhine on the French border with Basel.

Stories from Museums of Switzerland: About Podcast Interview Series with Museum Curators

Our podcast series, Conversations with Curators, brings listeners a collection of audio stories that go beyond travel to explore the soul of Switzerland as an art capital. In this series, we focus on in-depth interviews with museum curators across the country. Hear firsthand about their institutions, the histories behind their collections, and the unique perspectives they bring to preserving Swiss culture.

From intimate conversations about curatorial choices to behind-the-scenes insights into exhibitions, every episode captures the voices shaping Switzerland's cultural landscape. Alongside museums, we also feature stories about Swiss cities, iconic brands, and the rich traditions that make the country unique.

In the first season, "Conversations with Curators," celebrates the legacy of Basel's museums. Nestled within just 42 square kilometers, Basel is home to nearly 40 museums—making it a true city of art and culture. In this series, we sit down with curators from across the museums of the city to explore the stories behind the collections, the ideas shaping exhibitions, and the passion that keeps Basel's museums alive. From world-renowned institutions to hidden gems, from the largest to the smallest, join us as we uncover the voices behind the art and heritage that make Basel a museum capital of not just Switzerland, but Europe.

Discover Switzerland through the eyes of those who safeguard its heritage—one interview at a time.

Episode Artwork Copyright: History Musem Basel

Stories from Museums of Switzerland: Podcast Interview Series with Museum Curators

Our podcast series, Conversations with Curators, brings listeners a collection of audio stories that go beyond travel to explore the soul of Switzerland as an art capital. In this series, we focus on in-depth interviews with museum curators across the country. Hear firsthand about their institutions, the histories behind their collections, and the unique perspectives they bring to preserving Swiss culture.

From intimate conversations about curatorial choices to behind-the-scenes insights into exhibitions, every episode captures the voices shaping Switzerland's cultural landscape. Alongside museums, we also feature stories about Swiss cities, iconic brands, and the rich traditions that make the country unique.

In the first season, "Conversations with Curators," celebrates the legacy of Basel's museums. Nestled within just 42 square kilometers, Basel is home to nearly 40 museums—making it a true city of art and culture. In this series, we sit down with curators from across the museums of the city to explore the stories behind the collections, the ideas shaping exhibitions, and the passion that keeps Basel's museums alive. From world-renowned institutions to hidden gems, from the largest to the smallest, join us as we uncover the voices behind the art and heritage that make Basel a museum capital of not just Switzerland, but Europe.

Discover Switzerland through the eyes of those who safeguard its heritage—one interview at a time.

Episode Artwork Copyright: Cartoon Museum And Centre For Narrative Art Basel

Stories from Museums of Switzerland: Podcast Interview Series with Museum Curators

Our podcast series, Conversations with Curators, brings listeners a collection of audio stories that go beyond travel to explore the soul of Switzerland as an art capital. In this series, we focus on in-depth interviews with museum curators across the country. Hear firsthand about their institutions, the histories behind their collections, and the unique perspectives they bring to preserving Swiss culture.

From intimate conversations about curatorial choices to behind-the-scenes insights into exhibitions, every episode captures the voices shaping Switzerland's cultural landscape. Alongside museums, we also feature stories about Swiss cities, iconic brands, and the rich traditions that make the country unique.

Discover Switzerland through the eyes of those who safeguard its heritage—one interview at a time.