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At the beginning of the 20th century, Monte Verità, a mountain in Ticino, attracted artists and idealistic bourgeois seeking a utopian existence in harmony with nature. The exhibition “La scia del monte ou les utopistes magnétiques” at the Musée des Beaux-Arts du Locle (MBAL) traces the history of this movement, on display until September 15.

In 1900, Henri Oedenkoven, a Belgian entrepreneur, and his German companion Ida Hofmann, a piano teacher, acquired a large piece of land on Mount Monescia in Ticino. Despite their privileged backgrounds, the couple sought a non-capitalist lifestyle that was not quite communist either.

The Transylvanian brothers Gusto Gräser, an artist, and Karl Gräser, a former officer, joined them in their quest on Mount Monescia, renaming it “Monte Verità”. Their principles revolved around sharing, mental and physical freedom, women’s liberation, and above all, harmony with nature, as a means to escape an industrial society.

The Museum of Fine Arts in Le Locle, in collaboration with the Monte Verità Foundation, presents the exhibition “La scia del monte ou les utopistes magnétiques” featuring works of twenty-six contemporary artists. The museum aims to draw a connection between Monte Verità and the Neuchâtel region through this retrospective.

With long hair, flowing attire, and walking barefoot on grass, the Monte Verità community attracted numerous artists, students, refugees, and intellectuals looking for utopia. Over the years, the utopia evolved, with the original founders leaving in 1920 and the hill transformed into a tourist destination by Baron Eduard von der Heydt in 1926.

The legacy of Monte Verità was brought into the spotlight by Swiss curator Harald Szeemann in 1978, with the movement further celebrated through the artworks of Una Szeemann, an artist who grew up on the hill. The exhibition at MBAL also features works by Ingeborg Lüsher, Una Szeemann’s mother, highlighting feminist themes inspired by the pioneers of Monte Verità.

“La scia del monte ou les utopistes magnétiques” exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts in Le Locle (MBAL) is on display from March 23 to September 15, 2024.

At the beginning of the 20th century, Monte Verità, a mountain in Ticino, Switzerland, became a haven for artists and idealistic bourgeois seeking a utopian lifestyle in harmony with nature. The history of this unique place is now being explored in an exhibition titled “La scia del monte ou les utopistes magnétiques” at the Musée des Beaux-Arts du Locle (MBAL) until September 15.

In 1900, Henri Oedenkoven, a Belgian businessman, and Ida Hofmann, a German piano teacher, purchased a large plot of land on Mount Monescia above Ascona. They were not satisfied with their affluent backgrounds and were searching for an alternative way of life that was anti-capitalist yet not fully communist. Alongside them, the Transylvanian brothers Gusto and Karl Gräser joined in renaming the place to Monte Verità. Their philosophy revolved around concepts of sharing, mental and physical freedom, female empowerment, and most importantly, living in harmony with nature as a form of escape from the industrial society of the time.

The exhibition at MBAL, in collaboration with the Monte Verità Foundation, delves into this intriguing story through the works of twenty-six contemporary artists. It also draws connections between Monte Verità and the anarchist movements historically present in regions like St-Imier, Le Locle, and La Chaux-de-Fonds.

The community at Monte Verità, characterized by its inhabitants with long hair, loose clothing, and a penchant for walking barefoot on the grass, attracted a diverse group of artists, students, refugees, and intellectuals in pursuit of utopia. They embraced naturism, vegetarianism, and engaged in various artistic pursuits ranging from painting to dance, photography, and sculpture. Over time, the hill saw the construction of unique buildings exhibiting original architecture with geometric and rounded patterns.

As the years passed, the utopian vision of Monte Verità evolved. The founders left for Brazil in 1920, and it was subsequently acquired by Swiss-German Baron Eduard von der Heydt, who transformed it into a luxurious tourist destination with the construction of a hotel. In 1978, curator Harald Szeemann shone a spotlight on the movement through an exhibition, bringing it out of obscurity. Today, the legacy of Monte Verità lives on through the works of artists like Una Szeemann, who grew up on the hill, and her mother Ingeborg Lüscher, both of whom are featured in the MBAL exhibition.

Una Szeemann’s artistic contributions, inspired by the history of Monte Verità, shed light on the feminine perspective of the hill, invoking pagan rites and feminist ideals. In her works, she pays homage to the pioneering women who advocated for freedom from traditional gender roles. Through exhibitions like “La scia del monte ou les utopistes magnétiques”, the Museum of Fine Arts in Le Locle celebrates the rich history and ongoing relevance of Monte Verità as a beacon of utopian ideals.

The exhibition runs from March 23 to September 15, 2024, offering visitors a glimpse into a fascinating chapter of history that continues to inspire contemporary art and thought. Visit MBAL to witness the magnetic allure of Monte Verità and immerse yourself in the creative spirit of this utopian community like no other.

“La scia del monte or the magnetic utopians”, Museum of Fine Arts of Le Locle (MBAL). On view from March 23 to September 15, 2024.

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