Switzerland meets Mongolia: two photography exhibitions side by side in Gamsen
Wednesday, 13.05.2015 – Sunday, 31.05.2015
Exposition; Exhibition
Location: Alte Suste - Landmauer, 3900 Gamsen
-
Herder milking a yak at the foot of the Tsambagarav mountain in western Mongolia. The income of a herder family in the area is about CHF 220 per month. © L. Elbegzaya
-
Same herding tradition in Switzerland. A farm in Toggenburg (eastern Switzerland). © R. Boesch
-
Otgon Tenger Uul (4,008m above sea level) in northern Mongolia is covered in snow all year round. It is considered to be a holy place and has been a nature reserve since 1992. © L. Elbegzaya
-
The Aletsch Glacier is a UNESCO World Heritage site. View from the Eggishorn mountain station. © M. Schmid
-
Aaruul, a popular snack made of dried quark, is one of Mongolia's many milk products. © D. Davaanyam
-
6,000km from Mongolia, people are also passionate about cheese: 'Chästeilet' – cheese-sharing festival in the Justistal, Berner Oberland. © C. Sonderegger
-
A dancer moves to the sound of the "morin khuur" Mongolian horsehead fiddle, while... © B. Nyamgerel
-
...alphorn players and flag-throwers perform against the backdrop of the Jungfrau massif. © C. Sonderegger
-
Harvesting potatoes in one of the SDC-funded projects in Mongolia. The introduction of hardy seed and modern production techniques has revitalised food production locally. © SDC
-
Workers sort potatoes in Kerzers, Switzerland. © KEYSTONE
-
The first free parliamentary elections in Mongolia were held in the 1990s. Better participation in political processes by civil society is a priority for the SDC in the country. © D. Davaanyam
-
Voters from the commune of Bauen in the canton of Uri cast their votes in their community centre. © KEYSTONE
-
The "AARUUL and JUSTISTALER" exhibition is on display in Gamsen alongside another series of photographs by the Mongolian artist Maralgua Badarch portraying the Valais mountain region. © M. Badarch
Wednesday 13 – Sunday 31 May 2015
Near to the "Alte Suste", Gamsen Landmauer. Entry free of charge.
The "AARUUL and JUSTISTALER" photography exhibition organised by the SDC and shown at the Natural History Museum of Bern in autumn 2014 is continuing its tour of Switzerland. Visitors can discover the images in the commune of Gamsen, near Brig, in the second half of May alongside another series of photographs taken by the Mongolian artist Maralgua Badarch.
Mongolia and Switzerland have more in common than one might think: wild mountain landscapes, appreciation of tradition and culture, closeness to nature. But there are also differences: more than a quarter of the Mongolian population is living below the poverty line. That is why the SDC has been active in Mongolia for ten years, helping to improve living conditions for local communities and increase the involvement of civil society in political processes.
The exhibition "AARUUL and JUSTISTALER" – on display in a ger (a traditional Mongolian yurt) – presents around 50 breathtaking images and a wealth of fascinating information. The clever juxtaposition of photographs from Switzerland and Mongolia plays on cultural and aesthetic similarities to tell its own version of the history of cooperation between the two countries.
Through the lens of a Mongolian photographer
The exhibition in Gamsen echoes another series of photographs produced by Mongolian artist Maralgua Badarch. The young photographer depicts the Valais mountain landscape in her series "Mountain Myth". In Mongolia, like in Switzerland, mountains make up a third of the country.
Maralgua Badarch had the opportunity to stay in an artists' residence in Valais as part of the Sustainable Mountain Art (SMArt) programme. The SDC and the Canton of Valais jointly fund the SMArt programme, which was launched by the Valais-based Foundation for sustainable development in mountain regions.
