MONO/e KidsWest Bundesrat

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1999 1997

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Kinderbundesratsfoto.indd 2

KIDSWEST Bundesrat (KIDSWEST FEDERAL COUNCIL)

2009 Creative process with children; A5 postcard INTERVENTIONS “hierundort”, art workshop Kidswest, project coordinator Meris, Estate Tscharnergut Bern In spring 2009, Haus am Gern was invited to re-

Kidswest Federal Council was distributed ac-

alise a project with the “Art Workshop Kidswest”.

ross Switzerland. The Kidswest Federal Coun-

Simultaneously, the right-wing Swiss People’s

cil 2009 are Alberta (8, Kosovo), Sasime (10, Al-

Party SVP launched a poster campaign against

bania and Macedonia), Bimi (11, Kosovo), Sheila

the freedom of movement for workers from Bul-

(12, Italy), Selina (12, Chile), Marigona (13, Ko-

garia and Romania. The poster showed giant

sovo), Ihab (13, Eritrea), Sumudu (9, Switzerland

black crows hacking tiny Switzerland into pie-

and Sri Lanka) and Fjolla (11, Kosovo).

ces. This deeply disturbed the politically sensitive kids involved in the project, who all came

Meris had the photograph printed as a giant pos-

from families with a history of migration. Haus

ter, which was hung on the façade of a building

am Gern decided to begin a journey with the

on the estate where the kids live. The poster was

chil­dren; a journey from the very bottom to the

later turned into handbags by unemployed teen-

very top – by recreating the official Federal Coun-

agers and sold to fundraise for the art workshop

cil photograph with the children as protagonists.

Kidswest.

Thanks to the support of the Federal Department of Finance, Federal President of 2009

In addition, the Kidswest Federal Council was

Hans-Rudolf Merz, photographer Michael Stahl

invited for tea by Federal Councilor Eveline Wid-

and Daniel Dufaux of the Parliament studio, the

mer-Schlumpf, to a hockey game by Federal

photograph was reproduced with the kids at ex-

Councilor Ueli Maurer and to the UN in Geneva

actly the same place and under the same con-

by Federal Councilor Micheline Calmy-Rey.

ditions as the original. The postcard with the Credits kidswest kunstWerkstatt

Meris (Erika Schüpbach)

Parliament studio

Daniel Dufaux

Photography

Michael Stahl

Image license

Federal Department of Finance (EDF)

President of the Federal Council 2009,

Hans-Rudolf Merz

The cover shows the campaign poster of

Graphics, Layout

Bernhard Ammann, Satzart AG

the Swiss People’s Party SVP, designed

3D Montage (Web)

Sven Weber

by Alexander Segert and manipulated by

Stretch limousine

HAPPY-CAR CLUB Worb

Jan Gysi, age 5.

Speech

Carola Ertle Ketterer

Supported by

the parents of kidswest , City of Bern

6.4.2009 16:02:21 Uhr

Host

Bundespräsident

Vizepräsidentin des Bundesrates

Alberta Berisha

Sumudu Taniya Ranasinghe

Sheila Perchiacca

Marigona Gashi

Sasime Osmani

Ihab Atta

19.5.1999

Kommunikations- Bundeskanzlerin und Auslandsbesuchdepartement

Selina Antipan

30.11.1996

Bimi Lajq

17.9.1998

Schweiz, Sri Lanka

Departement für Sport

14.5.2000

Italien

Informatikdepartement

28.11.1995

Albanerin/ Mazedonien

Tierdepartement

7.9.1996

Kosovo

Gelddepartement

18.7.1997

Kosovo

Kunstdepartement Departement für Lesen, Schreiben und Reden

10.2.1997

Eritrea

2009

Chile

Kidswest-Bundesrat realisiert nach der offiziellen Version des Bundesratsfotos

Kosovo

Eine Haus am Gern Aktion für Kidswest www.kidswest.ch www.hausamgern.ch

Foto und Konzept: Michael Stahl, Oberwil b. Büren; Satzart AG, Bern

Bundespräsident

Doris Leuthard

Vizepräsidentin des Bundesrates

Departement für Umwelt, Verkehr, Energie und Kommunikation

Moritz Leuenberger

Conseiller fédéral depuis 1998

Département de l’intérieur

Pascal Couchepin

Parti socialiste

Conseillère fédérale depuis 2003

Bundesrätin seit 2008

Schweizerische Volkspartei

Bundesrat seit 2009

Département des Justiz- und Polizei- Departement für affaires étrangères departement Verteidigung, Bevölkerungsschutz und Sport

Micheline Calmy-Rey

BürgerlichDemokratische Partei

Ueli Maurer

Finanzdepartement Volkswirtschaftsdepartement

Hans-Rudolf Merz

Bundesrätin seit 2006

PLR. Les Libéraux-Radicaux

Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf

Bundesrat seit 2004

Christlichdemokratische Sozialdemokratische Volkspartei Partei

Bundesrat seit 1995

FDP. Die Liberalen

2009

Corina Casanova

Bundeskanzlerin seit 2008

Foto und Konzept: Michael Stahl, Oberwil b. Büren; Satzart AG, Bern

Konrad Tobler We are the Federal Council!

A complex and subtle pictorial imitation Shoulder to shoulder they stand, the seven members of the Swiss Federal Council and the Federal Chancellor: a cor­ po­rate body in unison, posed officially before a red back­ drop with a swirling pattern of Swiss crosses. In suits, ele­ gant dresses or classic two pieces, they appear relaxed as well as dignified. Smiling, as it befits magistrates in high office.

The Federal Councilors – we might think of men in suits but of the eight people in the formal photograph, six are women. It would appear that the prediction of very first female member of the Federal Council, Elisabeth Kopp, that one day there would be more women than men in the Swiss executive, has become reality.

Another aspect of the picture amazes even at a first glance: this executive is surprisingly, incredibly young. These are children just on the verge of becoming teenagers. Our amazement increases when we turn to look at the back of the card. Correctly and traditionally it shows the expressive signatures of the Council Members. But we might get the impression that the Swiss government consists entirely of immigrants or people with a history of migration, to use the politically correct term. The names suggest as much: Bimi Lajq, Selina Antipan, Ihab Atta, Marigona Gashi, Alberta Berisha, Sasime Osmani, Sheila Perchiacca and finally the Federal Chancellor, Sumudu Taniya Rana­sin­g­ he. Their countries of origin, it further states, are Kosovo, Chile, Eritrea, Macedonia, Italy and Sri Lanka.1 The Departments and responsibilities have also radically altered. The Department of Finance has become the Mo­ ney Department; there is a Department of Animal Welfare and a Department for Information Technology, a Depart­ ment of Sport as well as, unbelievably, a Department each for Art, Literacy, as well as Communication and Inter­na­ tional Visits.

This is how the Swiss government presents itself The irritation that arises during our contemplation of the photograph, it is an authentic image. The picture was taken in the television studio of the Swiss parliament’s Media Centre, by the same photographer who shot the official Fe­deral Council Photograph in 2009, Michael Stahl. Just as in the official image, the “distinctive backdrop” was sub­ sequently added, as described on the website of the photo­

grapher. Just as in the real, or official, image an “in­ten­sive plan­ning phase” preceded the taking of the pic­ture; al­ though – more of this later – it was of a very dif­fe­rent kind.

In order to understand the significance that the yearly production of the official Federal Council portrait has acquired since it began in 1993, we must briefly consider the function of this image. On the one hand it serves as a kind of “calling card” and therefore as a means of com­mu­ nication with “the people”; on the other hand it expresses the Federal Council’s self-image, which causes discussion and provokes interpretation on a yearly basis. For every year the concept of the image is developed, with the chosen photographer, by the new President of the Swiss Confederation who assumes office according to the senio­ rity principle for one year only. According to insiders, the concept is kept secret until the actual photo shoot, thus surprising even the other members of the council. The shot then has to proceed quickly as some sitters tend to get im­ patient.2 There are unwritten rules about how the eight

Federal Council Photograph, 1993

magistrates are to position themselves: “The President is usually in the centre or otherwise emphasised in the image.

The Vice President is usually right next to them but slight­ ly further back. The other councilors are grouped around these two according to a logical principle based on their length of time in office.”3 Experts in the media re­gularly analyse this constellation and what it might in­di­cate about how well the executive government is working, and what conflicts there may be among its members. That goes as far as the interpretation of facial expressions, particularly the presence or absence of a smile.

Kids and art in Bern-West This, then, is the context of our irritating „Federal Council Photograph“, for which Haus am Gern takes full responsibility. As mentioned above, the preparation and planning was intensive in this context, too. We will give a brief outline here, for it is necessary in order to understand the photograph as part of an artistic campaign and intervention. The image was created in con­nection with the campaign “kidswest”, initiated with the com­mitment of artist and art educator Meris (Erika Schüp­bach).

Kidswest happens on the Tscharnergut, a rough estate in Bern-West, and regularly unites children to take part in shared activities. In a sense kidswest is an ex­pe­ri­mental model for an integration project, since the children involved are mostly from migrant families. Kidswest con­ siders itself an open workshop for kids and young people up to 15 years of age. The special twist is that Meris regu­ lar­ly invites artists to work with the kids and develop acti­ vities including happenings and exhibition openings – while Meris herself is on hand to ensure the necessary con­tinuity between projects.

Kidswest can therefore be placed typologically in the con­ text of socially engaged art as defined by Joseph Beuys’ concept of “social sculpture”4 and projects such as Thomas Hirschhorn’s work at Documenta in 2002 or the inter­ven­ tions of artists Christine and Irene Hohenbüchler.5 From loud kids to dignified magistrates In 2009 Haus am Gern, too, were invited to take part in the project.6 Step by step, Barbara Meyer Cesta and Rudolf Steiners’ develop­ment of the project proceeded in collaboration with the kids. The first meeting revolved around the most important thing in public office, something that enables kids who might not even know exactly what a Federal Councilor even is, to understand its importance: it was about practi­cing a bold signature. The children practiced devotedly and seemingly with clear notions in their heads of what a proper, adult signature is supposed to be like.

The next task was the distribution of departments. As yet the kids barely had a clear concept of what the function of a government is. But Barbara Meyer Cesta and Rudolf Steiner soon managed to demonstrate the basic principles to the kids without turning the exercise into an abstract lesson in citizenship. They simply asked the kids what they believe is important both for them and other people, what they would be prepared to stand up and work hard for. The Departments with their inventive skills and content, as

they later appeared on the back of the photo­graph, were thus quickly distributed. The next step was to help the kids select the correct and official clothes, as well as practicing posture and facial expression. Thanks to the permission of the Federal Council, the glorious moment finally arrived: the photo shooting in the Swiss Parliament’s Media Cen­ tre. The drive the parliament building in a white stretch li­mousine underscored the importance of the mission. As if that wasn’t enough, the photograph of the eight kids was, on Meris’ initiative, projected onto an over-life sized banner, attached to the façade of a building in the estate, and launched with a celebration at which the first darkskinned National Councilor, Ricardo Lumengo, was pre­ sent. The eight kids therefore unobtrusively be­came wellknown faces on their estate and the campaign emphasised their individuality and importance. Still that was not all: in September 2009 Federal Councilor Eveline WidmerSchlumpf invited the kids to afternoon tea. In January 2010 Federal Councilor Ueli Maurer took them to a hockey game, and a visit to the UN in Geneva with Fe­deral Coun­ cilor Micheline Calmy-Rey was planned.

More than the imitation of an image As an art initiative the project “Federal Council Photograph” has many different aspects:

 In the context of Kidswest it directly and immediately promotes the social integration of the children in diverse ways. They didn’t just assume a role; they played a key role.

Almost circumstantially they learnt a lot about the func­ tio­ning of the state, and as immigrant children became re­ pre­sentatives of the Swiss People. In addition, they en­ga­ged with the issue of gender: naturally there were more women in the federal council of Bern West than in the real govern­ ment, and naturally these women are more con­fid­ ent in their role than in many of the kids’ cultures of origin.  The project “Federal Council Photograph” is a social sculpture in which the process of becoming is as important as the final result. Art is understood as a form of action, not primarily as a product. Haus am Gern stepped back and served the interests of the issue, or rather: the interests of the kids.  On the level of the photograph, the imitation of an offi­ cial government portrait critically illuminates issues of re­ presentation and self-presentation, as well as addressing the question of what is expressed in an official image, which despite the democratic nature of the Council, must be

considered in the tradition of state sponsored art. The imi­ tation of pictorial conventions and the casting of immigrant kids lent the project a hint of irony. Yet there is no doubt that it is not the kids who are subject to this irony but the magistrates with their affected casualness. If the image finally reveals all officials to be replaceable, this too is part of its playful humor.  The imitation of the official Federal Council Pho­to­ graph is a political act and a social statement, and therefore properly belongs in the context of socio-political art, as it has re-emerged in recent years: not as accusation or as mere documentation but as a form of argument with and through the image. The photograph entails an opinion, a position: integration while protecting individuality and cultural difference is a social necessity. Implicitly it also contains a statement about social change. For it is quite possible that a future Member of the Federal Council will have dark skin and originally come from Sri Lanka, or that the President of the Confederation might be called Ihab Atta – and it is possible and desirable that the executive will reflect the true gender balance through a female majority.

Konrad Tobler (*1956) is an independent author, cultural journalist and art and architecture critic, living in Bern. He studied German and Philosophy in Bern and Berlin, receiving the first “Preis für Kulturvermittlung” (award for cultural education) by the Canton of Bern in 2006. Since 2000 he has been managing editor of the cultural section of the Berner Zeitung. From 1997 to 2007 he was the Berner Zeitung’s cultural editor, specialising in visual art, architecture, photography, philosophy and theology.

1

By contrast, it seems positively ironic that the relevant Wikipedia page

(under Bundesratsfoto) lists the official designation of the Swiss Federal Coun­cil in languages ranging from Alemanic and Latin to Bahasa Indo­ne­ sian: Alemannisch: De Bondesrot vo de Schwiiz. Deutsch: Der Schweizer Bundesrat. Français: Le Conseil fédéral Suisse. Italiano: Consiglio federale Svizzero. Rumantsch: Cussegl federal svizzer. Ελληνικά: Το ελβετικό ομοσπονδιακό Συμβούλιο. English: The Swiss Federal Council. Es­pa­ ñol: El Consejo Federal Suizo. Suomi: Sveitsin liittoneuvosto. Bahasa Indonesia: Dewan Federal Swiss. Latina: Consilium Foederale Helvetiae.

Nederlands: De Zwitserse Bondsraad. Polski: Szwajcarska Rada Związ­ kowa. Português: O Conselho Federal Suíço. Română: Consiliul Federal Elveţian. Русский: Швейцарский Федеральный Совет. Српски / Srpski: Швајцарско савезно веће.

2

See e.g. the report in “Der Landbote“, 6th January 2010.

Cited in German from http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bundesratsfoto

The theory of “social sculpture“ claims that every person can

3

4

contribute to and shape society through creative action. These ideas shape the thesis of “Social Sculpture: Every Man is an Artist“ and were first expressed by Joseph Beuys in the context of his political activities in 1967 (http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soziale_Plastik see also http://en.wikipedia. org/wiki/Social_sculpture)

5

“Christine and Irene Hohenbüchler belong to a group of artists who

create practical life situations, usually outside the art system. Following the principle of multiple authorship, they step back and serve a group of colla­ borators in the role of ‘directors’ or ‘coordinators.’ The art work is me­rely a part of, not the result, of the work as a whole.” (from a publication prospectus by Niggli publishing)

6

Other artists engaged in 2009: Kate Burgener, Dieter Seibt, Martin

Loosli, Heinrich Gartentor, Adela Picon, Nesa Gschwend and Max Roth.

Distribution of the Departments. (Photo: Dominique Uldry)

Conversation with the parents. (Photo: Meris)

Backstage. (Photo David Aebi)

Make-up. (Photo: David Aebi)

Finishing touches. (Photo: David Aebi)

Final rehearsal. (Photo: Meris)

In the stretch limousine. (Photo: David Aebi)

Outside the Swiss Parliament. (Photo: David Aebi)

Photographer Michael Stahl in action (Photo: David Aebi)

Last-minute instructions. (Photo: David Aebi)

Copy … (Photo: David Aebi)

... and original. (Photo: Federal Chancellery)

With Federal Councilor Ueli Maurer at a hockey game.

Fjolla has a good grip on Federal Councilor Ueli Maurer.

Singing a Swiss folk song. (Photo: Dominique Uldry)

With Federal Councilor Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf. (Photo: D. Uldry)

Opening below the giant banner on the council estate Tscharnergut, Bern.

Kidswest Federal Council in 3D.

The Federal Council 2009 in 3D.

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