Home Not Alone #2

For years, Pro Helvetia Artists in Residence program has been actively operating between Switzerland and the regions where its offices abroad operate. Artists from Switzerland and from different regions across the globe travel to pursue a three months studio residency and gain a broad insight into a different cultural environment.

In response to the Covid-19 restrictions on the cultural sectors around the world, which includes travel suspension, Pro Helvetia offices abroad have decided to organize Studio Residencies with a different format, at Home. The participating artists are guaranteed the possibility to have a mentor and/or “critical friend” from the context that they would originally have been situated in, to connect them with artists and relevant networks. The new format “Home Not Alone” was offered to the artists who had their Studio Residency scheduled between April & August 2020.

Abdessamad Elmontasser (MR), Fazal Rivzi (PK), Jessica Huber (CH), Magdy El Shafee (EG), Mariam El Nohazy (EG), and Serge Diakota (DRC) were the first group to experiment this new format. With the continuation of travel restrictions, we are welcoming a second group this month to pursue their Home Not Alone residency between July to September 2020: Sonia Kacem (CH), Bassem Yousri (EG), and Chadi Messmer (CH).

The two groups of residents of Home not Alone will intersect during July 2020 and have the chance to share their experience together and carry on what the first group has started in May. Through this connection, they will be able to form an informal network where they share practices, mediums, thoughts, work in progress, and reflect on their experiences with each other, their mentors, and with Pro Helvetia team.

We are looking forward to having Sonia, Bassem and Chadi among our Home Not Alone family.