The Best, The Rest, and The Unexpected Guests

The Best, The Rest, and The Unexpected Guests, curated by Lorenza Longhi, showcases a selection of works from the private collections of the Bechtler family alongside contemporary Swiss artists. Revealing the stories embedded in this history of collecting, it invites visitors to explore the relationships between collectors and their artworks.

Spanning from the 1960s to the present, the exhibition showcases sculptures, paintings, and installations that enable a dynamic dialogue across time and space. Longhi’s curatorial approach connects the public and the private, inviting visitors to discover relationships between objects, ideas, and materiality. Drawing inspiration from the Société Anonyme, founded by Katherine Dreier, Man Ray, and Marcel Duchamp in 1920, Longhi embraces the challenge of presenting art in a context that deepens this connection between the private and the public, while also placing the artists at the center. Her presentation mirrors the Société’s belief that artists should narrate art.

Each work in the exhibition is part of a broader conversation, with sculptures and paintings interacting in unexpected ways. The carefully arranged layout enables a fluid, immersive experience. From large-scale sculptures to intimate photographs, each piece prompts reflection on contemporary art and societal themes.

By responding to the architectural features of the space, Longhi’s curatorial process creates an environment where the works communicate with one another, both through their materiality and the cultural and historical contexts they evoke.