Anna Winteler at Kunsthaus Baselland: A Retrospective on Body and Video Art
As one of Switzerland’s most influential figures in video and performance art, Basel-resident Anna Winteler takes center stage in a comprehensive survey at Kunsthaus Baselland. Spanning her pivotal works from the late 1970s through the early 1990s, the exhibition brings together roughly thirty major video pieces, rare documentations of live performances, and foundational body works that have long shaped the trajectory of contemporary performance art.
Exploring the Physical Coordinates of Video Art
For visitors stepping into the galleries, the exhibition offers a rare chance to engage with a pioneering practice that uses the human body as a system of coordinates. Winteler’s approach avoids traditional narrative structures, relying instead on precise concepts captured in single-take recordings without edits or rehearsals. From her iconic 1979 debut Le Petit Déjeuner sur la Route d’après Manet—where she walked upstream between Basel's bridges shedding her outer clothing—to later explorations like Discours des Montagnes à la Mere, the works invite viewers to experience real time and physical limits directly.
Curated by Käthe Walser and Ines Goldbach, the retrospective successfully bridges past and present, offering newer generations an accessible entry point into Winteler's radical engagement with self-determination and spatial movement.
To discover more contemporary art institutions and upcoming exhibitions across the area, explore the city guides and listings on Musemap (musemap.art), browse the full museum directory, or check the interactive map view.
