3rd Swiss Open-Air Sculpture Exhibition Biel

Marcel Joray

Sculpture in 1962

1954, 1958, 1962... Every four years Bienne plays host to an open-air sculpture show. A tradition is born and for the artists the exhibition in Bienne has become their «Biennial».
Recognition and thanks are due to the city authorities and the local donors whose generosity provides us with this unique showcase for Swiss sculpture at no cost to the artists and the visiting public. Thanks are due to the federal authorities as well for acquiring works of art and favoring three-dimensional works.
The 1962-edition of the exhibition presents 150 works selected by the jury from the entries submitted by 130 artists. It reflects current trends in Swiss sculpture (all works were made during the last four years), in all its stylistic and aesthetic variety. The works of confirmed masters stand side by side with the works of newly discovered talents. There are artists for whom the human body is clearly the central concern and their works variously bear the marks of classicism or expressionism or surrealism; or they become so free that they border on the abstract. There are works by sculptors who believe only in their imagination and conquer space by means of hewn blocks of stone or chunks of forged and cut iron. There are works based on traditional forms and there are experiments, which may or may not have a tomorrow. There are even cartoonish or ironic sculptures because there is room for humor in a show of art. All these works somehow complement each other and in our opinion give a fair impression of the best thing that our artists have created: the synthesis of a living art.
The selection of works will cause an animated discussion, some will laugh, and others will faint. That’s the way it should be. Only indifference would be regrettable. Not everyone will like everything, but everyone will discover a certain order, measure, or rigor; or else a certain poetry, abundance, and voluptuousness – each according to his sensibility and aesthetic criteria. Everyone will find food for thought about the artists and about our time, because there is one thing every artist struggles to achieve: an expression of his time by means of expressing himself.
A tradition is born. There is danger in that because tradition is the enemy of art and we don’t want a conventional exhibition. We will have to be even more innovative in the future. Our new locations require works conceived for large spaces and irresistibly call for sculptures in motion and sculptures on water.
For 1966 we would like to give our best artists an opportunity to realize big ideas. That would really turn our exhibition into the field of experimentation and confrontation that we dream about. Who will help us? 

Marcel Joray
Translation French – English © Dieter Kuhn




  • Cristaile, Ponçet Antoine, expo 1962
    Cristaile
  • Steinbock, Hebeisen Ernst, expo 1962
    Steinbock
  • Figur VIII-59, Zürcher Arnold, expo 1962
    Figur VIII-59
  • Gallina, Fontana Renzo, expo 1962
    Gallina
  • Vièrge, Schindler Rudolf, expo 1962
    Vièrge
  • Liegende Figur, Perincioli Marcel, expo 1962
    Liegende Figur
  • Madre e Figlio, Selmoni Pierino, expo 1962
    Madre e Figlio
  • Frau mit Guitarre, Ruegg-Leutold M., expo 1962
    Frau mit Guitarre
  • Relief II, Demut Trudi, expo 1962
    Relief II
  • Anna, Russo Giudici Irma, expo 1962
    Anna
  • Badende, Bär Nelly, expo 1962
    Badende
  • Sitzende III, Braus Hedwig, expo 1962
    Sitzende III
  • Forme multiple No 5, Gilardi Bernocco R., expo 1962
    Forme multiple No 5
  • Garbe, Sallenbach Katharina, expo 1962
    Garbe
  • Relief I, Müller Otto, expo 1962
    Relief I
  • Aufgerichtetes Kreuz, Vieira Mara, expo 1962
    Aufgerichtetes Kreuz
  • Grosser Akt, Weiss Max, expo 1962
    Grosser Akt
  • Wandplastik, Vögeli Walter, expo 1962
    Wandplastik
  • Geknickte Raumschichten, Witschi Werner, expo 1962
    Geknickte Raumschichten
  • Gespreizte Kombination, Schneider Jimmy Fred, expo 1962
    Gespreizte Kombination
  • Das Liebespaar I, Fischer Franz, expo 1962
    Das Liebespaar I
  • Eisenplastik, Bodmer Walter, expo 1962
    Eisenplastik
  • Totem, Brignoni Serge, expo 1962
    Totem
  • Schwebender Marmor, Fischli Hans, expo 1962
    Schwebender Marmor
  • Skulptur I, Grunder Mariann, expo 1962
    Skulptur I
  • Grande fleur, Suter Paul, expo 1962
    Grande fleur
  • Forme entaillée, Affolter André (Condé), expo 1962
    Forme entaillée
  • Frau mit Kind, Guggenheim-Weil Susi, expo 1962
    Frau mit Kind
  • Hockende, Uehlinger Max, expo 1962
    Hockende
  • Stehende, Weyl Hellen, expo 1962
    Stehende
  • Progession, Lachat Nicole, expo 1962
    Progession
  • Zeichen, Balmer Lorenz, expo 1962
    Zeichen
  • Réunion, Brogni Hans, expo 1962
    Réunion
  • Skulptur XVII, Meister Peter, expo 1962
    Skulptur XVII
  • Kariatyde I, Lienhard Robert, expo 1962
    Kariatyde I
  • David, Piguet Gustave, expo 1962
    David
  • Volupté, Müller Frédéric, expo 1962
    Volupté
  • Strahler, Luginbühl Bernhard, expo 1962
    Strahler
  • Pénélope, Perrin Léon, expo 1962
    Pénélope
  • Mutter und Kind, Volz Hermann, expo 1962
    Mutter und Kind
  • Figur II, Aeschbacher Hans, expo 1962
    Figur II
  • Chèvre, Schwarz Heinz, expo 1962
    Chèvre
  • Amourium 1961, Kemeny Zoltan, expo 1962
    Amourium 1961
  • Sportiu II, Häfelfinger Eugen, expo 1962
    Sportiu II
  • Cristalina, Rouiller Albert, expo 1962
    Cristalina
  • Sculpture, Wiggli Oskar, expo 1962
    Sculpture
  • Krieger, D'Altri Arnold, expo 1962
    Krieger
  • Eisenplastik X, Rehmann Erwin, expo 1962
    Eisenplastik X
  • Orphée, Conne Louis, expo 1962
    Orphée
  • Femme aux bras croisés, Meylan Alexandre, expo 1962
    Femme aux bras croisés
  • Vogel, Hächler Peter, expo 1962
    Vogel
  • Vent Debout, Ramseyer André, expo 1962
    Vent Debout
  • Composition, Latour Jean, expo 1962
    Composition
  • Eisenplastik, Saegesser Marguerite, expo 1962
    Eisenplastik
  • Elément bronze, Gigon André, expo 1962
    Elément bronze
  • La Rêveuse, Stürchler Albert, expo 1962
    La Rêveuse
  • Figur, Gruber Alfred, expo 1962
    Figur
  • Sculpture en fer, Monney René, expo 1962
    Sculpture en fer
  • Relief polychrome, Stanzani Emilio, expo 1962
    Relief polychrome
  • Sculpture, Koch Ödon, expo 1962
    Sculpture
  • Fontaine No 4, Tinguely Jean, expo 1962
    Fontaine No 4
  • Cadran solaire (maquette), Gisiger Hansjörg, expo 1962
    Cadran solaire (maquette)
  • Armure, Schorderet Bernard, expo 1962
    Armure
  • Per Aspera ad’Astra, Wyss Josef, expo 1962
    Per Aspera ad’Astra
  • Quelle Chance, Steiger Alex, expo 1962
    Quelle Chance
  • La harpe animée, Linck Walter, expo 1962
    La harpe animée
  • Tacchino, Rossi Remo, expo 1962
    Tacchino
  • Kopf, Gürtler Walter, expo 1962
    Kopf