SI OFFSITE | On Half a Tank of Gas | Contemporary Art Daily
Nov 06 2017
Swiss Institute and Kunsthaus Glarus are thrilled to present a village-wide project that will take place in New Glarus, Wisconsin. Self-described as “America’s Little Switzerland,” New Glarus is a rural town where a group of economic migrants from Glarus, Switzerland, moved in the mid-nineteenth century, fleeing deteriorating economic conditions at home.
With its title taken from a flyer for a local business advertising that one can “Visit Switzerland…On Half a Tank of Gas!”, the project explores New Glarus as an unusual place of cultural crossover between America and Switzerland. The particular history and culture of the village is the central point of departure for the project, which explores migration, economic development, and the heritage and tourism industries that preserve and market a sense of place. Swiss Institute and Kunsthaus Glarus have invited contributions from a number of artists from Switzerland, Wisconsin and elsewhere, who have approached such histories through material concerns, ranging from hunting equipment and tapestries to fragrances and fireworks.