Biography
1935 – 2015
Carl Bucher, Zürich (1935-2015)
The Swiss sculptor and painter Carl Bucher (1935 – 2015) was a traveller, working in his own duty to explore and liberate humanity and its surroundings. He belonged to the Swiss avantgarde during the 1960’s and 1970’s. From today’s perspective his works became universally valid and in its own sense they form part of a cosmic whole. A healthy relationship between humans beings, earth and all creatures has been very important for Carl Bucher, as he was terrified by injustice. His earth-bound creations witness the physical power of their formation. They also contain and leave real traces of biographical content. Carl Bucher develops his motifs out of formable materials and by doing so faces himself, the scientist and homo sapiens, the existentialist and homo politicus.
After important Solo presentations in the USA and Canada, among others 1971 at the Musée d’Art Contemporain, Montreal, in 1972 at LACMA the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 1967/1975 at the Kunsthaus Zürich. 1975 he is rewarded with the 1. Prize of the international jury Biennale Xlll São Paulo representing Switzerland (together with Urs Lüthi and Rolf Iseli).
Carl Bucher’s »petrified» figures stand prominently at the Museum of the Red Cross, the UN United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights both in Geneva. and in front of the European Court for Human Rights in Strasbourg.
Carl Bucher’s works can be found in numerous public and private collections worldwide.
Solo exhibitions
2019 Galerie Plutschow, Zürich, Early Works and Hope
1997 Galerie Andy Jllien, Zurich
1997 Galerie am Lindenplatz, Schaan. Liechtenstein
1995 Art Room, Lengnau AG, exhibition to mark Carl Bucher’s 60th birthday
1992 Galleria del Naviglio, Milan
1992 Galleria del Naviglio, Art 23 ‘92, Basel
1988 Galerie Jamileh Weber, Zurich
1984 Galleria del Naviglio, Milan
1982 Galerie Maurer, Zurich
1981 Skulpturenmuseum Glaskasten Marl, Germany (retrospective)
1979 Galerie Numaga, Auvernier
1978 Galerie Schlegl, Zurich
1976 Museu de Arte Moderna, Rio de Janeiro
(together with Rolf Iseli and Urs Lüthy)
1975 Kunsthaus Zurich
1973 Ester Bear Gallery, Santa Barbara, California
1972 The Vancouver Art Gallery, Vancouver
1972 Tacoma Art Museum, Washington
1972 Los Angeles County Museum of Art
1971 The Rothmans Art Gallery of Stratford
1971 New Smith Gallery, Brussels
1971 Museum of Contemporary Crafts, New York,
1971 Musee d’Art Contemporain, Montreal
1971 Gallery Moos, Toronto
1970 Galerie d’Art Moderne, Basel
1969 Galerie Bischofberger, Zurich
1968 Galerie im weissen Haus, Winterthur
1968 Galerie Bernhard, Solothurn
1966 Galerie Bischofberger, Zurich
1963 Galleria d’Arte Santacroce, Florence
1962 Club Bel Etage, Zurich
Awards
1975 1st International Jury Prize at the 13th São Paulo Biennale
1970/71 Grant from the Arts Council of Canada to fund a 15-month stay in Canada. Lives in Montreal and Toronto
1967/68 Grants from the Kiefer-Hablitzel Foundation
1964/76 Federal grants
Selected group exhibitions
2021 “So Close, So Far: Pop Art Made in Switzerland, Revisited”, Gallery Peter Kilchmann, Zürich
2017 “Swiss Pop Art – Formen und Tendenzen der Pop Art in der Schweiz 1962– 1972”, Aargauer Kunsthaus, Aarau, Switzerland
2015 “Carl & Heidi Memorial Exhibition”, Curuna Ardez, Ardez, Switzerland
2013 “Biennale Skulpturen-Symposium”, Galerie Weiertal, Winterthur
2008 ‘68 – Zürich steht Kopf. Rebellion, Verweigerung, Utopie”, Seedamm-Kulturzentrum, Pfäffikon (SZ), Switzerland
2006 “Bad Ragartz. 3rd Schweizerische Triennale der Skulptur in Bad Ragaz and Vaduz”, Bad Ragaz, Switzerland, and Vaduz, Liechtenstein
“Skulptur ‘06”, Villa Mettlen, Muri, Switzerland
“Swiss Pop”, Kunstmuseum Thun, Switzerland
“OpenArt 06”, Roveredo, Grisons, Switzerland
2005 “Skulpturenausstellung. 48 Kunstschaffende aus der Schweiz”, Schüpfen, Switzerland
“OpenArt 05”, Roveredo, Grisons, Switzerland
2004 “Être. Les droits de l’homme à travers l’art”, United Nations, Geneva
2003 “Bad Ragartz. 2nd Swiss Triennale of Sculpture”, Bad Ragaz, Switzerland
2000 “Bad Ragartz. 1st Schweizerische Triennale der Skulptur”, Bad Ragaz, Switzerland
1998 “Spurensuche – Das Bild des Menschen in der Schweizer Gegenwartskunst”, Seedamm-Kulturzentrum, Pfäffikon (SZ), Switzerland
1992 “Im Bereich des Möglichen. Kunst der achtziger Jahre aus öffentlichen und privaten Sammlungen”, Centre PasquArt, Biel
1991 “Memento Monumenti”, Centre PasquArt, Biel
1990 “Passagen. Skulptur in Bad Ragaz”, Bad Ragaz, Switzerland
1983 “Wer zeigt sein wahres Gesicht?”, Kunsthalle Recklinghausen, Germany
1980 7th Swiss sculpture exhibition, Biel
“Espaces”, Maison de la Culture, Le Havre
“Reliefs”, Kunsthaus Zurich
“Pop Art und verwandte Strömungen in der Schweiz”, Kunstsammlung der Stadt Thun, Thunerhof, Thun
1979 “Kunst auf dem Wasser”, Kunsthaus Zug, Zug
Art 10’79, special exhibition of Swiss art since Giacometti, Basel
Art 10’79, Galerie Schlégl, Basel
15th São Paulo Biennale: Special exhibition of previous prizewinners, São Paulo
1978 “Kunstszene Zürich 1978”, Künstlerhaus am Karlsplatz, Vienna
“lll. Biennale der Schweizer Kunst: Aktualität – Vergangenheit”, Kunstmuseum Winterthur
“Sculpture Today / Canada”: 10th International Sculpture Symposium, Toronto
“Art 9’78”, Galerie Schlégl, Basel
1977 “Artistes Zurichois”, Musée Rath, Geneva
“FIiegen – ein Traum – Faszination – Fortschritt – Vernichtungswahn”, Städtische Kunsthalle, Recklinghausen
1976 Swiss sculpture exhibition, Vira Gambarogno
“Kunstszene Zürich”, Kunsthaus Zurich
“Aspekte der Kunst der Gegenwart”, Kunsthalle Mannheim
1975 6th Swiss sculpture exhibition, Biel
13th São Paulo Biennale (together with Rolf Iseli and Urs Lüthi).
1973 “Group of Sculptures”, Vancouver Art Gallery
1972 / 75 “Terre des Hommes”, Montreal
1971 “The Swiss Avant-Garde”, The New York Cultural Center, New York
1969 “Dimensionen 1969”, Galerie d’”Art Moderne, Basel
Galerie Bischofberger, Zurich
1968 “Wege und Experimente. 30 junge Schweizer Künstler”, Kunsthaus, Zurich
“Wege und Experimente. 28 junge Schweizer Künstler”, Neue Galerie der Stadt Linz, Linz, Austria, and
Neue Galerie am Landesmuseum, Graz, Austria
“Zürcher Künstler im Helmhaus Zürich. Abstrakte und nichtfigürliche Richtungen”, Helmhaus, Zurich
Pulchri Studio, The Hague
“Collection Peter Stuyvesant”: le Musée dans l’usine, Cultureel Centrum Maastricht, Holland
“Neue Tendenzen”, Galerie Wengihof, Zurich
1967 “Unter 40. Schweizer Maler, Bildhauer und Gestalter in zwei Ausstellungen”, Galerie d’Art Moderne, Basel
Galerie Bischofberger, Zurich
1964 “6 Artists of Galerie Suzanne Bollag”, Molton Gallery, London
1964 “Perspectiven”, Galerie Handschin, Basel
1961 “Zürcher Künstler” at Helmhaus, Zurich
Commissions
1976 Five sculptures at Hardau, Zurich
1974 Light Box II, Ontario Place, Toronto
1973 Light Box I (12 m wide, 5 m deep, 2.5 m high), Palace of Arts, San Francisco
1972 Light and Shadow Tunnel, Ontario Science Center, Toronto
1971 Two Landing sculptures on water columns, Greenwin Property, Toronto
1969 Wall relief for an administrative building, Zellweg, Uster
1969 Wall relief for a factory building, Hoffman-La Roche, Basel
1969 Hydraulic “Water Landing” project for Hans Mahler, Globus
Public collections
Peter Stuyvesant Foundation, Amsterdam
Kunsthaus Zurich
Nationalversicherung, Basel
The Gotthard Bank Collection
Musée d’Art Contemporain, Montreal
Rothman’s Art Gallery of Stratford, Ontario
Tacoma Art Museum, Washington
Vancouver Art Gallery
Museum of the University, Santa Barbara
Museum of Art, Santa Barbara
Museu de Arte Moderna, São Paulo
Museu de Arte Moderna, Rio de Janeiro
Kunstmuseum Chur
Centre PasquArt, Biel
International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum, Geneva