New Delhi: ‘In the light’ art event, a renowned Swiss light artist Gerry Hofstetter will for the first time in India create customised motifs on the facade of the Embassy building and garden.
The event, with light projections complemented by dance performance choreographed by Indian contemporary dancer and choreographer Diya Naidu, to offer a rare immersive aesthetic experience for viewers and will mark the finale of the Swiss network’s “Swiss it!” initiative.
The Embassy of Switzerland presented a new Swiss Art Night, ‘In the Light’, on October 28, to mark the grand finale of the Swiss network’s ‘Swiss it!’ initiative. The highlight of the evening was the light projection work by renowned Swiss artist Gerry Hofstetter, who for the first time in India created customized motifs on the facade of the Embassy building and garden. The ‘In the Light’ event, with light projections complemented by dance performances, offered a rare immersive aesthetic experience for the audience. Gerry Hofstetter, whose light art work caught over 4 billion eyeballs across the globe when he projected messages of solidarity and hope on the Matterhorn in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic, created a visual story, which was accompanied by performances choreographed by Indian contemporary dancer and choreographer Diya Naidu.
Gerry’s projections represented both India’s cultural richness and Switzerland’s historical involvement in India. They expressed their congratulations on India’s 75th anniversary of independence and mentioned the forthcoming 75th anniversary of bilateral ties between Switzerland and India the following year. For the evening’s projections, Gerry noted that he drew inspiration from both Switzerland and India for the cultural, natural, technological, and everyday aspects of life. “In India, we are commemorating 75 years of democracy. I was motivated to combine themes from culture, nature, high tech, and daily life for the event at the Swiss Embassy in India, he added.
Opening the event, Swiss Ambassador Dr. Ralf Heckner said, “In 2019, the Swiss network in India and Bhutan, together with Swiss and Indian sponsors, launched the ‘Swiss it!’ public diplomacy initiative. Under the aegis of this 3-year long initiative, we organised 35 events in 30 cities across India to share experiences about innovations from Switzerland for a sustainable future. This year the project ‘Swiss it on Wheels’ gave us the opportunity to hold conversations on sustainable future with over 9000 pupils across India. Recently, we showcased a photo exhibition to raise awareness and reflection around climate-friendly and sustainable lifestyles. The exhibition features the work of ten Indian photographers who captured the essence of the work of Swiss Cooperation in India and its impact on local communities and the environment. These are just a few examples. The response to these projects has been overwhelming.”
The Swiss Art Night was launched in 2014. It quickly established itself within diplomatic community and artistic circles of the capital as one of the most conspicuous celebration of art. Due to Covid-19 pandemic, the 2020 and 2021 editions were postponed.
-IANS
Comments are closed.