Beauty in Destruction: The Art of Simon Berger

BEAUTY IN DESTRUCTION

THE ART OF SIMON BERGER

West Chelsea Contemporary is pleased to present 'Beauty in Destruction: The Art of Simon Berger,' an exploration of glass as an artistic medium and destruction as a path to beauty. This exhibition marks Berger’s first showing in Texas and features over 40 new works made exclusively for WCC Having exhibited worldwide, pioneering Swiss artist Simon Berger is an international sensation. With a hammer in hand, Berger transforms panels of plain glass into portraits of precision, broadening the possibilities of a traditional medium. Rather than sculpting, blowing, or casting glass into molds, Berger destroys it. As the glass breaks, what is delicate becomes bold; what is fragile becomes strong. From twodimensional glass “canvases” to immersive sculptures and experimental installations, this exhibition not only highlights Berger’s mastery of material, but also his aim to propel the medium forward. Look into the glass and find the beauty in destruction.

Trained as a carpenter and a lover of mechanics, Berger's journey into glass art began when he wondered what to do with a car windshield By 2017, he established his studio in Bern, Switzerland, and named his innovative process "morphogenesis," speaking to the transformation he strikes into the glass. Intricately and precisely, Berger pounds, cracks, and breaks reinforced safety glass panels, repeatedly and persistently, until his vision comes to life. Each blow of the hammer infuses high contrast and shades into an otherwise monochromatic surface. It's a meticulous process. One wrong hit and he will have to start over on a fresh panel.

Berger’s deliberate use of destruction challenges what is typical in art history that glass must be preserved, for once it is broken, it is wasted and ruined. Instead, Berger turns the material’s perceived weakness into its greatest strength. The ability for glass to break no longer means a discarded fate, but rather a way to transform it into something new altogether. As the glass shatters, the resulting patterns form lines of inquiry, guiding you to see the world differently

In this way, Berger confronts the “broken window theory.” Originating in 1982 by social scientists, the “broken window theory” states that visible signs of what is deemed as criminal, anti-social, or disorderly behavior — broken windows — encourage further disorder and crime. The theory suggests that by policing methods against vandalism, loitering, and more, order and lawfulness are achieved Instead, Berger sees broken glass not as a mark of crime, but a display of art. He sees his tool of choice the hammer not as a provocateur of disorder, but rather as a method to reveal the beauty of destruction.

Breaking new ground for his all at once sculptural and painterly technique, Berger has made a name for himself within the contemporary art scene. Since 2017, the artist has expanded his portfolio of glass portraits and works, notably in the name of paying homage and offering tribute. The artist partnered with the National Women’s History Museum to create a portrait of Vice President Kamala Harris in 2021 Later that year, Berger created works for the "We are Unbreakable" project, which honored the victims of the Beirut explosion in 2020. In the years to follow, Berger and his work were showcased in solo exhibitions, group shows, and public installations around the world, including two of the most prominent glass art museums Vitromusée in Romont, Switzerland, and Murano Glass Museum in Venice, Italy and now at West Chelsea Contemporary in Austin, Texas. Welcome to 'Beauty in Destruction: The Art of Simon Berger '

SIMON BERGER

Swiss artist Simon Berger is a master of his medium, a pioneering contemporary artist who has pushed the boundaries of artistic expression through his innovative glass artworks. Intricately and precisely, Berger pounds, cracks, and breaks panels of reinforced safety glass until his vision comes to life. Each blow of the hammer infuses high contrast and shades into an otherwise monochromatic surface. In his hands, the hammer is not a tool of destruction, but rather an amplifier of effects Through the cracks emerge emotionally evocative portraits that play with light and transparency while drawing the viewer’s gaze into a meander of lesions the artist calls “morphogenesis.”

Breaking new ground for his all at once sculptural and painterly technique, Berger has made a name for himself within the contemporary art scene. Since making his first works on glass in 2017, Berger has participated in luxury collaborations and been invited to institutions and events worldwide. Notably, the artist partnered with the National Women’s History Museum to create a portrait of Vice President Kamala Harris in 2021 Later that year, Berger created works for the "We are Unbreakable" project, which honored the victims of the Beirut explosion in 2020. In the years to follow, Berger and his work have been showcased in solo exhibitions, group shows, and public installations around the world, including two of the most prominent glass art museums — Vitromusée in Romont, Switzerland, and Murano Glass Museum in Venice, Italy.

SIMON BERGER

Born on April 9, 1976 in Switzerland

Lives and works in Niederönz

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2023

"BeautyinDestruction:TheArtofSimonBerger,"WestChelseaContemporary,Austin,TX

"TheDoorsofPerception,"CrisContiniContemporary,London,UK

"ShatteringBeauty"MuseodelVetro,Venice,Italy

2022

"SimonBerger"AgenceDS,Paris,France

"SimonBerger"ArtsübliGallery,Basel,Switzerland

"ShatteredbySimonBerger"AurumGallery,Bangkok

"UnbreakableIdentities"Gallotti&Radice,Cermenate,Italy

"Leverredanstousseséclats"VitromuséeRomont,Switzerland

"CrackedBeauties"MazelGalerie,Brussel,Belgium

"ReFORMATION:TheArtofDestruction"FränkischesMuseumFeuchtwagen,Germany

2021

"SimonBerger"ArtsübliGallery,Basel,Switzerland

2020

"Loeb"ArtsübliGallery,Basel,Switzerland

2019

"Defekt-DuoShowwithPierre-AlainMünger"ArtsübliGallery,Basel,Switzerland

GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2022

Sculpture Garden Biennial Genéve, MAMCO, Geneva, Switzerland

"Spring Break" Mazel Galerie, Brussels, Belgium

"Glasstress - State of Mind" Fondazione Berengo, Murano, Venice, Italy

L'Ancien Musée de Peinture, Grenoble, France

2021

"BreakthatWall"MazelGalerie,Brussels,Belgium

2020

StreetArtGest,Grenoble,France

PUBLIC INSTALLATIONS

2023

PershingEast,Austin,TX

2022

"L'Espoir"StreetArtFest,GrenobleFrance

"Untitled(frontwindow)"AurumGallery,Bangkok

"Serpenti"BVLGARI,Zürich,Switzerland

"BrokenLives"MinestryofTrafficSafetyofFrance,Paris,France

2021

"KamalaHarris"AbrahamLincolnMemorial,WashingtonD C.,USA

"WeareUnbreakable"MTVLebanon,Beirut,Lebanon

"Untitled"GolfCourtÄtigkofen,Switzerland

2020

"Abribus"CityofGeneva(CH),Switzerland

"Untitled"CityofGeneva,Switzerland

"Untitled(frontwindow)"ArtsübliGallery,Basel,Switzerland

2016

"E=mc2"Motorex,Langethal,Switzerland

NOTABLE PORTRAITS

2023

Simon Berger x The Portrait of Sisecam Project, Istanbul, Turkey

Portrait of Sonic for Netflix

Portrait of Mustafa Kemal Ataürk, Sisecam, Istanbul, Turkey

Portrait of Andrea Bocelli, Milano, Italy

ART FAIRS

2022

ArtMiami

KunstZürich

ModerneArtFaire,Paris

ArtMarketHamptons

SeattleArtFair

VOLTABasel

ArtMarketSanFrancisco

ArtPalm-Beach

2021

ArtMiami

UrbanArtFair,Paris

LuxembourgArtWeek

2020

KunstZürich

SELECT COLLECTIONS

Museum Murten, Murten Switzerland

Public Collection, City of Feuchtwangen, Germany

Jessica Goldman Collection, Wynwood, United States

Womens History Museum, United States

Foundation Dr Hanspeter & Christine Rentsch, Switzerland

Beit Beirut, Museum and Urban Culture, Lebanon

Gallotti e Radice Collection, Italy

COLLABORATIONS

Porsche x Simon Berger (2023)

BVLGARI x Simon Berger (2022)

Glenfiddich x Simon Berger (2021)

Chateau Constellation, Constellation Simon Berger (2018)

SHATTERING BEAUTY MUSEUO DEL VETRO, ITALY

ISLAND OF MURANO, VENICE, ITALY

This past year Simon Berger's solo exhibition "ShatteringBeauty"openedMuseodelVetro.Therenownedmuseumcontainsthelargest collectionintheworldofMuranoglassandtracesthehistoryofglassfromitsoriginstothe 20th century Curated by Adriano Berengo and Sandrine Welte, "Shattering Beauty" highlightedthepossibilitiesofglassasamedium,showcasinghowBergerbreaksfromthe traditionofblowingormodelingglassintoworksofart Theshowfeaturedanimmersive installation,createdwithglasscubesandsculpturessprawlingthroughoutthemuseum's galleries.BergerhighlightedsymbolsofMuranoandVeniceintotheshowandhiswork fromtheturquoisehueoftheglassplayingonthelagoonswhichsurroundtheisland,toa three-dimensionalportraitofalionreferencingtheemblemofthecity,totheusemirrors recalling the history of Murano mirrors being exported throughout Europe in the 18th centuryaspopularluxuryobjects Ontheopeningnightoftheexhibition,Bergercreateda work in front of a live audience, putting his practice on display as performance while fosteringadialoguebetweenhismethodofdestroyingglassandMurano’slong-standing glassmakingtradition.

THEHISTORYOFMUSEODELVETRO

MuseodelVetrowasfoundedin1861whenAntonioColleoni,thethen-mayoroftheisland ofMurano,andAbbotVincenzoZanetti,anenthusiastofglassmaking,gotapprovalbythe towncounciltosetupanarchivethatmappedthehistoryofMurano.Glassfactoryowners inMuranobegandonatingalargenumberofpiecesthatweremadeontheisland,ranging from centuries old to contemporary objects. As a result, the archive expanded into a museum By 1862, Zanetti started a school within the museum, of which glassworkers attendontheirdaysoffwheretheystudieddesignandhistoricalexamplesofblownglass conserved at the museum. Following Murano’s fusion into Venice municipality in 1923, Museo del Vetro became part of the Venetian Civic Museums The museum's collection, one of the most complete in the world, ranges from antiquity to 20th century works and highlightsthehistoryofVenetianglassandit'sevolutionintocontemporarydesign.

LE VERRE DANS TOUS SES ÉCLATS VITROMUSÉE ROMONT, SWITZERLAND

ROMONT, SWITZERLAND

From April 9 to August 28, 2022, Vitromusée Romont showcased completely new works by Berger in his first museum show: "Le Verre dans tous ses éclats," or "The Glass in all its shards " Devoted entirely to the glass arts, Vitromusé is located in Berger’s home country of Switzerland, placing him amongst the ranks of leading Swiss glass artists.

Vitromusée Romont opened its doors in 1981, creating a collection unparalleled within Switzerland as it consists of all facets of the glass arts under one roof from ancient windows and glazing schemes, to stained-glass windows and reverse paintings on glass. Since 1981, Vitromusée’s collection continues to evolve through donations, the acquisition of new objects, items, and loans, and measures to safeguard Switzerland’s heritage in the glass arts.

"Le Verre dans tous ses éclats" explored Berger’s expertise in breaking glass into intricate and realistic portraits, showcasing his artistic fascination with and inquiry into human faces. As his first show in a museum context, "Le Verre dans tous ses éclats" not only highlighted completely new works by Berger, but provided viewers with an overview of his artist process.

HONORING VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS

WASHINGTON, D.C. On February 4, 2021, a glass portrait of Vice President Kamala Harris created by Simon Berger is unveiled in front of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool on the National Mall. Berger's technique and medium nods to Harris’ shattering of a monumental glass ceiling as the country’s first woman vice president, as well as the first Black vice president, first South Asian vice president, and first vice president to graduate from a Historically Black College and University

Based on a photograph of Kamala Harris taken by photographer Celeste Sloman, Berger's glass portrait stands tall, measuring 6.5 feet in both length and width. Created with his signature technique, Berger used a hammer to delicately tap onto large sheets of laminated safety glass. When the viewer steps back and looks at the work all together, the tiny cracks come together to produce an incredible and realistic likeness of the Vice President.

Berger’s partnership with the Nation Women’s History Museum is particularly significant because of the museum’s unique platform. As an online museum, the National Women’s History Museum, founded in 1996, is innovative in its dedication to uncover, interpret, celebrate, and amplify women’s diverse contributions to society, reaching over five million visitors every year via online content and educational programming. While the online collection will eventually grow to occupy an in-person museum in D.C., the museum’s first physical exhibit took place at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library.

In October 2022, following the installation on the National Mall, the portrait was moved to the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, the venue for the National Women’s History Museum’s first physical exhibition, "We Who Believe in Freedom: Black Feminist DC " Curated by acclaimed historians Sherie M. Randolph and Kendra T. Field. and running from March 2023 through the fall of 2024, the exhibit traces the impact and importance of Black feminism in D.C., spanning the turn of the 20th century, the Civil Rights and Black Power movements, and into today Berger's portrait of Kamala Harris is included in the exhibition highlights the museum's aim to bring a full exploration of Black feminism to the library, telling the stories of Black feminist leaders within the United States.

WE ARE UNBREAKABLE

BEIRUT, LEBANON — A year after the August 4 explosion in Beirut, MTV Lebanon and advertising agency TBWA/Raad collaborated with Simon Berger to launch the #WeAreUnbreakable campaign. The artist spends 10 days in Lebanon using sheets of glass recycled from the explosion to create portraits of six of the victims, standing as tribute to remember and pay respect to the 218 lives lost, almost 7,000 people injured, and thousands of families and friends impacted by the tragedy.

When Berger initially heard about the explosion, he knew he wanted to get involved in the fight to get justice for those impacted. In order to create the project, which he did in collaboration with Laurent Marthaler Contemporary, Berger visited the victims’ families and the sites affected by the explosion, including the Port of Beirut

The shattered glass portraits premiered on a special episode of political talk show Sar el Waaet, which aired the night of August 4 live at the site of the explosion. The campaign aimed to use the glass demonstration as a means of reminding the country that justice has yet to be served for the victims and to instill resilience in those viewing the installation, reminding them to fight for truth and accountability.

LUXURY PARTNERSHIPS

Simon Berger is no stranger to luxury collaborations. His unique techniques against glass produce so compelling an aesthetic that iconic brands from BVLGARI and Porsche to Glenfiddich — have partnered with him to reinvigorate new life into their famous company motifs.

BVLGARI was one of the first 20th century jewelers to turn the serpent motif into a watch timepiece The company’s Serpenti icon references the snake as a long used emblem of wisdom, rebirth, and vitality. In 2022 Simon Berger reinterpreted the Serpenti into striking glass portraits of the brand’s Switzerland ambassadors, Christa Rigozzi and Kevin Lütolf. Located at one of the brand’s boutiques in Zurich, the portraits take up three of the external windows, putting Berger’s expert craftsmanship on full display.

In 1998, Porsche took a break from the round headlights of their original 911 model to explore a different shape for their 996 model Rather than circles, the headlights morphed into irregular, elongated ovals seamlessly integrated into the contours of the car’s nose and bumper. This shape plus the amber color of the indicator lights earned them the nickname of “fried egg” headlights In May 2023, Berger paid homage to the car brand’s 996 headlights, which — now iconic — once lived in infamy, particularly for Porsche 911 model faithfuls. In a sculpture displayed at Porsche Zentrum Basel, Berger extends the sunnyside-up reference even further, transforming a Porsche into a surrealist work of art; the front hood and headlights are covered in shattered glass, of which spills over the bumper and onto the floor, turning into a fried egg about half as large as the car is long.

Prior to his collaborations with BVLGARI and Porsche, Berger worked with Glenfiddich, a distillery in Scotland known for its single-malt Scotch whiskies For the collaborative project, Berger crafted five one-of-a-kind glass boxes to encase the brand’s 26-year-old Grand Couronne whiskey, which of which are sold exclusively on Whisky Auctioneer for over $20K each Aiming to infuse the history and values of the Glenfiddich brand his portraits, Berge selected five figures who he saw as conveying the emotions of the brand

BROKEN WINDOW THEORY

Originating in 1982 by social scientists, the “broken window theory” suggests that order and lawfulness are achieved by the implementation of policing methods against vandalism and loitering. Berger invites you to confront this theory and to see destruction differently. With a hammer as his brush, the artist paints portraits into the fragile medium, spinning the “broken window theory” against itself to create glass “canvases” otherwise destined for factories In doing so, Berger leads viewers to find new meaning in broken windows

Through his inquiry into the “broken window theory,” Berger further delves into his artistic fascination with the human face He imbues his broken glass “canvas” with hundreds of intentional cracks, which join into a network of lesions to form familiar features — a pair of eyes, a nose, a mouth, and more. Once viewers find these features amongst the shards of glass, they will soon notice as they continue to look upon the work that the features before them come together to create a human face staring back at them Right before the viewers’ eyes, Berger’s works transform from a broken window into an astounding portrait. The artist describes his exploration of human faces as a discovery from abstract fogging to figurative perception Along with using an intriguing material, Berger’s works draw visitors in with a striking first glance — one that to some might appear to only depict abstract shapes and forms. However, visitors discover that the breaks in the glass paint a much more realistic image; the detailed portrait coming into its own against the safety glass entices visitors to not only glance, but engage with the work in a way that allows them to reflect on themselves, humanity, and society.

REFLECTING ON BEAUTY IN DESTRUCTION

Throughoutthehistoryofart,theethosofcreationhaslargelybeendrivenbyan aspiration towards the beautiful. The synthesis of form and colour on paper or canvas, the modelling and shaping of clay or bronze, the capturing of scenes through the lens of a camera - all speak to the act of aesthetic composition. A long-standing tradition, the contemporary Swiss artist Simon Berger vigorously breaks with Pioneering a evolutionary practice of working glass, he proposes a new take on the medium of his choice. For the first time, glass becomes the support for figurative works as he ‘draws‘ with a hammer on the surface of his vitreous canvases. The alleged weakness of the material, its fragility and brittleness emerge as its greatest strength through Simon Berger‘s striking artisticgesture.Byhittingthetransparentpanes,heforcefullybreaksthevitreous support, etching images which he draws from the depths of the material. In an audacious move, he turns destruction into a kind of anti-creation, as the mesmerising tangle of cracks and creases gradually translates into portraits of seductive allure. Referred to by the artist as ‘morphogenesis‘, the process resembles a hypnotic ordeal of pondered blows with the hammer that forge images of compelling beauty. His hyperrealistic portraits seduce the beholder with the seeming impossibility of their creation, while exerting a magnetic pull throughapowerfulpresencethatcondensesintheincisedeye/‘I‘.Withtheshow Beauty in Destruction at West Chelsea Contemporary, Simon Berger creates invites the viewer to experience wonder and awe only art in its most impossible formcaninspire.

SANDRINE WELTE Curator of 'Shattering Beauty' at Museo Del Vetro

West Chelsea Contemporary is much more than the typical gallery. Offering worldclass art in a dynamic, interactive setting. WCC produces museum-quality exhibitions year-round with programming that is free and open to the public

West Chelsea Contemporary’s collection includes artists influential to Pop Art, Street Art, Graffiti, Post-Graffiti and contemporary art as well as tastemakers of these movements With a local, national, and international roster of represented artists, West Chelsea Contemporary situates artwork from the primary market alongside a highly curated selection of pieces from the secondary market. This novel display of represented, emerging and mid-career artists alongside Blue Chip masters increases each artist’s exposure and serves to make connections between their work.

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