Dazzling Bubbles. Friedrich Glauser – Nando von Arb

A hundred years separate them – the comic artist Nando von Arb (born 1992) and the author Friedrich Glauser (1896–1938). Yet their themes are surprisingly similar and highly topical: childhood, illness, and real and imagined hardships. Memories rise ‘like shimmering bubbles’.

With his graphic novel *Learning to Fear* (2023), Nando von Arb strikes a chord with the spirit of the times. In short episodes, he depicts various experiences of fear that affect him and his generation. In ‘Damals in Wien’ (1938), Glauser recounts his childhood in Vienna around 1900, marked by the early death of his mother and an overbearing father.

The exhibition brings these two worlds together: the graphic novel is staged within the space, whilst Glauser’s vivid narrative is read aloud. Furthermore, Nando von Arb engages artistically with Glauser’s work. He has created expressive images especially for the exhibition. This journey through time spans from 1900 to the present day and raises the question: what fears hang in the air today?

Curator: Christa Baumberger
Artistic contribution: Nando von Arb

Published to accompany the exhibition: Edition Litar 07 ‘Schillernde Blasen’, edited by Christa Baumberger and Peter Stuiber. Featuring original drawings and a conversation with Nando von Arb. Essays by Patrick Bühler, Linn Ritsch, Karl Wagner, Christa Baumberger and Peter Stuiber.
A collaboration between Litar and the Wien Museum.
Orders: from 5 September via bookshops or info@litar.ch | CHF 8.– (plus postage)
 
Exhibition: 5 September – 5 December 2026
Flyer: ‘Schillernde Blasen’

Opening hours:
Wed | Thu | Fri 2 pm–6 pm
Sat 1 pm–4 pm
and by appointment

Admission including Edition Litar: CHF 8 / CHF 5 (concessions: AHV, Legi, KulturLegi)

The exhibition is supported by Stadt Zürich Kultur. Many thanks!

Image: Nando von Arb, drawing for Glauser’s “Damals in Wien”, 2026 | Graphic design: Rahel Arnold