Sprawling upwards from the shore of Lake Geneva, the Swiss city of Lausanne is best known as the Olympic capital, having hosted the International Olympic Committee since 1915. Among its features are the vineyards on the surrounding hillsides, the medieval architecture of the city centre, and the view across the lake of the Savoy Alps. Lausanne is also home to a rich and ever-developing arts and culture scene.
Museums and Institutions
In addition to the Olympic Museum, Lausanne is home to several prominent museums and art institutions. These include Fondation de l'Hermitage, a restored 19th-century mansion featuring European fine art dating from the mid-18th to the early 20th centuries; the Renaissance-style Palais de Rumine, which houses several regional museums on its site; Collection de l'Art Brut, which was established with a donation of fringe art gathered by Post-war artist Jean Dubuffet in the mid-20th century; the regionally focused Musée d'art de Pully; and the Kunsthalle Marcel Duchamp | The Forestay Museum of Art.
A recent addition to the city's cultural scene is Plateforme 10, an emerging cultural hub adjacent to the Lausanne train station. Built on the site of former train sheds, the development brings together the Musée cantonal des Beaux-Arts (MCBA), the Musée de l'Elysée, and the Museum of Contemporary Design and Applied Arts (mudac). Fondation Toms Pauli and Fondation Felix Vatton are also located on the site within the MCBA.
Independent Galleries and Exhibition Spaces
Central Lausanne is also home to a number of galleries dealing in contemporary art. Among them are long-established galleries, such as Alice Pauli Gallery (established in 1962) and, Atelier Raynald Métraux (established 1991), and more recent additions, such as Galerie Heinzer Reszler, Foreign Agent and Fabienne Levy.
In addition to contemporary art dealers, Lausanne offers several independent exhibition spaces. These include artist-run spaces like Le centre d'art Circuit, and initiatives like ArtLab. The latter is part of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne's EPFL Pavilions project, aimed at blending art and culture with emerging science and technology.
International Art Events
Staying connected with the international arts scene, the city hosts the Rencontres 7e Art Lausanne international film festival which celebrates world cinema. Once a year, the city is also illuminated by light-based installations produced by emerging and international artists for the Lausanne Lights Festival.
Image: Lausanne. Photo: Patrick Nouhailler / Panoramio. CC-BY-SA-3.0
