For the first time ever, the Kunst Museum Winterthur unites the two great Swiss artists of the 20th century, Ferdinand Hodler and Alberto Giacometti, in a single exhibition. The painter of turn-of-the- century symbolism meets the artist of post-war existentialism. The exhibition resolutely breaks new ground by no longer simply contextualising Hodler as a national painter on the occasion of the centennial anniversary of his death, but by contrasting him with Giacometti in order to advance new intellectual and aesthetic approaches.

2018 marks the 100th anniversary of Ferdinand Hodler’s death. A reason to pay tribute to the oeuvre of this great Swiss painter of the turn of the century and present it to a broad public with a radically different view. Accordingly, we are resolutely breaking new ground by no longer looking at Hodler in the context of his time, but rather in a dialogue with a second and equally outstanding artist. This advances unconventional intellectual approaches and allows us to study the artist’s oeuvre as to its dimension in terms of content and relevance for future generations, including us. In a surprising exchange with Alberto Giacometti, the existential quality of his work is clearly perceivable. Fundamental questions about humanity, which make his work surpass the cultural phenomena of his era, come to the fore. It is precisely this intense preoccupation with man, one’s own ego, as well as dying and death that are as relevant as ever for today’s generations.