29 questions for the Bechtler Foundation in Uster

We have been around since ...
2021

What we do in 3 words:
Art. Context. Dialogue.

Our guiding principle is:
We make art visible and open up spaces for new perspectives.

We receive our funding from ...
... the Walter A. Bechtler Foundation, which supports the museum. We also receive funding from sponsors and partners, as well as other foundations.

If we had unlimited financial resources, we would ...
... realise an even more diverse programme with additional exhibitions and events, further develop exhibition formats, continue to unlock the cultural potential of Uster as a location, and sustainably strengthen the institution’s international influence.

Uster is the perfect place for contemporary art because ...
... the Zurich Oberland is the canton’s secret cultural hub.
... the really hot stuff is happening out on the fringes.
... Zellwegerpark, with our artworks, just happens to be in Uster.
... Lake Greifensee is within easy reach (*Ba dum Tss*).
... there is no such thing as the perfect place for art.
... perfection has no place in art.
... the unique combination of industrial history, urban growth and natural surroundings opens up space for new perspectives. ✓

Our programme ...
... educates.
... provokes.
... follows a manifesto.
... is not for romantics.
... seeks the new. ✓
... breaks with the old.
... defies expectations. ✓
... is transdisciplinary.
... is entertaining.
... is enough to make you cry.
... adapts to global political events.
... changes the world.
... regularly causes red faces.
... causes head-shaking now and then. ✓
... doesn’t really need any further explanation.

Our exhibitions are tailor-made for ...
... lone wolves.
... mid-life crises.
... Tinder dates.
... a Sunday with the in-laws.
... stag and hen parties.
... pensioners’ outings.
... children’s birthday parties.
... anyone who wants to experience contemporary art in an open, accessible setting. ✓

Our exhibitions focus primarily ...
... on the past.
... on the present. ✓
... the future.

Through our programme, we promote ...
... love.
... knowledge. ✓
... democracy.
... alternative facts.
... spirituality
... faith.
... world peace.
... irrationality.
... justice.
... confidence. ✓
... free trade.
... environmental protection.
... vision. ✓

This superstar was recently on display here:
Walter De Maria – and he’s staying, because The 2000 Sculpture is on permanent display here.

Walter de Maria’s *The 2000 Sculpture* is art because …
… time stands still in the vicinity of this work. ✓
... Harald Szeemann once described the sculpture as art.
... Walter de Maria played drums with The Velvet Underground.
... it transforms the most beautiful paradox of time and timelessness into a universal experience. ✓

A work is contemporary art if ...
... it was created in the present day and engages with current social, political and cultural issues.

If we had to sum up our fascination with Pipilotti Rist in a single sentence, it would be this:
Pipilotti Rist makes the invisible visible and the everyday magical.

Cultural life in Uster has something you won’t find anywhere else in the world, and that is ...
... the unique blend of local roots and global openness.

For cultural life in Uster, we hope...
... that it continues to surprise, inspire and bring people together.

A persistent rumour surrounding our work goes:
We’d love to know that too!

The strangest complaint we received last year was:
Our sculptures should also serve as seating, please.

What we owe our audience ...
... quality, openness and new perspectives.

The best drink at our bar is ...
... a conversation about art – our real speciality.

For people in wheelchairs, our venue is ...
... easily accessible.

By inclusion, we mean ...
that we make art accessible to everyone.

This is how many people work for us:
7

The average salary of our staff is:
We don’t disclose figures, but we invest in commitment and quality.

The average age of the people who work for us is:
42

By team spirit, we mean...
... that everyone works together towards a common goal, supports one another and shares successes.

The hardest part of our work is...
...that art never fits into boxes, even though transport always demands it.

The best part of our work is...
... working with artists and curators.

Working for culture is worthwhile because ...
... it makes art visible. Words cannot describe that.