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




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