Bad Ragartz Sculpture Triennale

I am happy to announce my participation in the 2024 Bad Ragartz Sculpture Triennale as the youngest among thirteen selected emerging artists, alongside sixty-nine established artists.

For this event, I will be exhibiting my first large-scale outdoor metal sculpture entitled “Femtrails” at the Giessenpark in Bad Ragaz. Additionally, I will be presenting a piece titled “How can you doubt me now?” at the Small Sculpture Festival of Small Sculpture 2024 in Altes Bad Pfäfers.

Bad Ragartz Opening Program

9th Bad Ragartz

04 May 2024

14:00-16:00 Meet the artist at their sculpture

17:00-01:00 Opening Celebration Festwiese Giessenpark, Bad Ragaz

Festival of Small Sculptures

05 May 2024, 11:00

Altes Bad Pfäfers, Taminaschlucht

Opening Vaduz

08 May 2024, 17:00

Rathaus Vaduz, Liechtenstein

About Femtrails

“Femtrails” stands as a memorial to the victims of the European witch hunts, shedding light on how this dark history still shapes current views on female sexuality and empowerment. Standing at the crossroads of sculpture and painting, and employing a unique technique of etching and oxidizing brass plates, the piece stands as a homage to the feminist struggle.

In our contemporary imagination, witches often evoke fairytales, yet the harsh realities of the early modern witch hunts (dating around 1450 to 1750) are gradually fading from collective memory. During this period, an approximation of 40-60,000 people were executed on charges of witchcraft, most of which were women. Driven by religious superstition, political instability during Europe’s shift from feudalism to capitalism, and manifestations of patriarchal control and fear of female autonomy, the witch hunts mostly targeted women who challenged established hierarchies through communal knowledge and alternative healing practices.

However, with the end of these trials in Europe, fears around female autonomy did not disappear. My work draws parallels between historical persecution and current struggles against issues like anti-abortion laws, femicides, and sexual violence. “Femtrails” doesn't just remember the past; it also serves as a call to empowerment.

On the brass plates, female bodies and faces appear, as if screaming – a cry of pain or one of strength? The innovative oxidation process transforms the brass into vibrant tones, symbolizing both the flames of historical persecution and the fires of hope for female energy striving towards liberation. As one walks by, it is as if their screams still echo, embodying as a casting spell that moves towards liberation.

The process of creating Femtrails

About Bad Ragartz

Source badragartz.ch

Through Bad Ragartz, a vision has become reality. For over 20 years, Esther and Rolf Hohmeister have been bringing their future-oriented art project to life every three years. The open-air sculpture festival at Bad Ragaz in Vaduz, Liechtenstein and in the Altes Bad Pfäfers has now become one of the biggest open-air art exhibitions in the world. In 2024, hundreds of thousands of visitors will once again make their way to the Sarganserland district of Switzerland and to Liechtenstein to view the multifaceted artworks of internationally renowned artists.

For the 9th Triennial of Sculpture in 2024, the "Young Artists Lab" will open its doors for the first time. In addition to established positions, this is intended to give selected young artists between the ages of 18 and 30 a special space. With the "Young Artists Lab" initiative, Bad Ragartz is establishing itself as a sustainable partner for young artists and is committed to the art of the future in the long term. For this reason, the 10 works of the 14 young artists will be integrated into the regular exhibition in Bad Ragaz and at the Festival of Small Sculptures in the Altes Bad Pfäfers.