For ten days, the Biennale (re)connecting.earth transformed Geneva into a space of collective imagination and shared experimentation. Developed in partnership with Climate Week, this co-creation phase invited visitors to explore their relationship with natural resources—between hands-on engagement and artistic vision. The ideas gathered during this process now contribute to the preparation of the third edition of the Biennale, scheduled for spring 2026.

The Salle du Faubourg served as the central meeting point, hosting daily encounters, conversations, and collective exchanges. Visitors discovered more than 200 artworks created by nearly 500 children across Geneva through our pedagogical program—shown publicly for the first time. These works were presented alongside two exhibition kits, Duchamp au Jardin and the newly developed Duchamp au Lac, both created with artists who participated in previous Biennale editions.

An opening celebration on Wednesday, November 26 marked the start of this participatory journey, bringing together artists, local partners, and the public. Throughout the event, the Artwerk team collected ideas, experiences, and practices related to natural resources. These contributions now inform the development of new artworks, conferences, and participatory formats for the upcoming Biennale. It will also continue some of the collaborations with artists and associations presented.

Participants

Instructions

Children from these schools:

Avanchet-Salève, Bosson UCE, Cité-Jonction, De Chandieu, De-Budé, De-Haller, Montfleury, Ouches, Sécheron, Vigne-Rouge, Vollandes

Children from schools who participated in the workshops during the Biennale :
Belvédère, Collonge-Bellerive CM, Chêne-Bougeries, Chêne-Bourg, Cropettes, De Chandieu, De Zurich, Des Palettes, Geisendorf Central, Le Corbusier, Mail, Ouches, Pervenches, Ranches, Sécheron, Tambourine and HEPIA / Civil Engineering Students

Video Installations

Ana Alenso
Séverin Guelpa
Christian Jankowski

Local Initiatives

Matériuum
Histoire sans chute
De Fil en Fil
La Comédie
Villa du Parc
Public Eye

Exhibition Kits

Duchamp au Jardin
Caroline Bachmann, Andreas Greiner & Takafumi Tsukamoto, Antje Majewski, Adrien Missika, Zheng Bo

Duchamp au Lac
Monica Ursina Jäger, Diana Lelonek, Maxence Neveu, Uriel Orlow, Carmen Perrin, Raul Walch

Exhibition

During the co-creation phase, the Salle du Faubourg became an immersive space for artistic research around natural resources. In addition to the children's creations, the two pedagogical exhibition kits—Duchamp au Jardin and Duchamp au Lac—revealed how artists interpreted biodiversity, land use, and aquatic ecosystems through playful and speculative perspectives.

By bringing together materials from past and future Biennale editions, these installations encouraged visitors to imagine how such ideas might evolve in the main exhibition of 2026. The venue also featured selected video works by international artists, broadening the dialogue between diverse ecological viewpoints.

Events

During the co-creation phase, a series of workshops, lectures, performances, and discussions enriched the exploration of “Sensitive Resources.” The program opened with a festive gathering at the Salle du Faubourg, where visitors discovered children’s artworks, artist videos, and local ecological initiatives.

A lecture by Prof. Tobias Brosch examined how emotions influence decision-making and how art can stimulate sustainable engagement. Soya the Cow then led a performative walk blending activism, music, and queer perspectives, followed by a roundtable at Villa du Parc, where artist Virginia Markus and two farmers in professional transition, Soizic Vauclin and Stéphane Baud, exchanged views on the role of animals as resources, together with Soya the Cow and Bernard Vienat.

The collective workshop-game The Planning Table encouraged participants to rethink systems of resource distribution through collaborative storytelling.

A children’s workshop invited young participants to trace the origins of everyday school materials through a treasure hunt and a participatory display involving over 500 pupils. The program concluded with Echoes of Extraction, a minimal, hands-on activity that transformed the simple act of sorting screws into a collective reflection on value, attention, and care.

These events offered diverse entry points into the theme and played a key role in shaping the ideas gathered for the upcoming Biennale.

For more details on the co-creation phase, you can read the following article.