Schwamendingen, a northern suburb of Zürich incorporated in 1934 and known as District 12 or K12, is the focus of Swiss artist Ruth Erdt's photographic exploration. Initially foreign to Erdt when she moved there in the early 1990s, she captured the essence of this 'beyond the city' place through her lens. Her work, featuring themes like gardens, forests, and the local Chilbi fair, evolved as she documented the transformation of Schwamendingen from a marginalized area to one of pride, especially among its youth. Collaborating with Zürich's art initiatives since 2012, Erdt expanded her project, engaging in dialogues about gentrification and identity. Her exhibition, "K12 Schwamendingen," showcases over 5,000 of her 60,000 photographs, exploring the district through various photographic mediums. This project also highlights the community's fight for environmental improvements like the motorway enclosure, turning Schwamendingen into a study of ordinary life interwoven with dramatic changes. In this video we attend the opening reception of the exhibition and speak with Ruth Erdt about her project and her current exhibition at Kunsthalle Zürich. The exhibition runs until January 19, 2025.
Ruth Erdt: K12 – Schwamendingen / Kunsthalle Zürich. Vernissage, September 27, 2024.
