Experiencing Gabrielle Goliath at Kunsthaus Baselland
Contemporary art lovers visiting the Dreispitz district have the opportunity to engage with a powerful multidisciplinary showcase at Kunsthaus Baselland. Running through the summer months, the institution hosts a significant exhibition dedicated to the acclaimed Johannesburg-based artist Gabrielle Goliath. Known for her deeply moving, immersive environments, Goliath's practice addresses the lived realities of black, brown, femme, and queer individuals, confronting systemic precarity and post-colonial violence while holding space for radical empathy and transformation.
Immersive Encounters and Local Visitor Highlights
The exhibition brings together major works that invite viewers to move beyond passive observation into deeply entangled, reflective encounters. Among the key pieces featured is the celebrated two-channel video installation This song is for ... (2019). Making its premiere in Switzerland, the installation centers on ten survivors of sexual violence who selected a song of personal significance related to their trauma or healing. These tracks were subsequently re-performed by collaborating musical ensembles led by women and gender-queer artists. Through these shared testimonies and musical tributes, the work addresses global issues of violence while powerfully asserting resilience, love, and hope.
In addition to this landmark piece, visitors can view the premiere of Berenice 29-39 (2022), an extension of Goliath's ongoing photographic portrait series. This commemorative body of work honors Berenice, a childhood friend of the artist lost to domestic violence. By inviting women to act as surrogates across the years unlived, the series forms an ethical cornerstone of the artist's exploration into community-driven politics and the ongoing labor of mourning.
The presentation is accompanied by a rich public schedule featuring guided tours, artist talks, workshops for children, and educational introductions. Media reception for the exhibition has been extensively documented in regional and national outlets, including reviews by bz, Tagesanzeiger, Radio X, NZZ, Artthrob, and BaZ. An accompanying publication, Listening to Artists, is also available through the institution's webshop.
To discover more contemporary art programming and upcoming exhibitions across the area, explore the latest updates on Musemap (musemap.art), browse the current museum listings, or check out what's on exhibitions.
