Sculpture Garden Biennale Geneva

In collaboration with Art Genève, MAMCO Geneva and BVLGARI

Geneva, Switzerland

2022

Simon Berger's sculpture ‘Morphogenesis', created specifically for the 2022 edition of the Sculpture Garden Biennale in Geneva, manifested a new approach to his art. It unfolded a first step towards more experimental ways of presenting his work and thereby a further step in his ongoing exploration of glass as a medium. Here, the glass panels of the sculpture were leaned irregularly against the glass transport rack, thus turning in the sculpture into a ready-made. The sculpture was placed on the Île Russeau in Geneva, a small green island in front of the Rhine and Lac Lemon, an emblematic place for the city with an unobstructed view of the skyline. As the island is visible from many sides, the sculpture could be seen from afar. Depending on the distance from the sculpture, the portrait on the glass panes was either clearly recognisable or blended into the background, reflecting the trees or buildings around the sculpture. Through the chromatic scheme and the expressive look of the portrait, this sculpture, placed in the midst of a public place, caused a moment of irritation. The name 'Morphogenesis', derived from the Greek words morphê (form) and genesis (creation), describes the process of creating new organic forms through the application of force. In this work, Simon Berger used his hammer, glass, and the transport frame to assist in the genesis of new forms, resulting in a new work of art.