‘through sounds / among words / in company’

Dear visitors to Gessnerallee, dear artists

We are delighted to celebrate the release of the three-part publication ‘durch Geräusche / unter Wörtern / in Gesellschaft’ next week together with Tim Zulauf (theatre maker with KMU productions) and Georg Rutishauser (publisher edition fink) as part of an exhibition of video works and two talks. 

The publication brings together 16 installative performances and theatre works that Tim Zulauf/KMU productions have developed since 2003. With its three volumes and 1784 pages, the monograph offers a variety of approaches to collective and research-based processes between art and theatre: texts, performances and contexts illuminate each other as the experimental approach unfolds. 

The exhibition opens on Thursday, 5 June, from 6 pm. It will take place in the north wing of the Gessnerallee and is accessible free of charge. 

Opening hours of the exhibition

• Thursday, 5 June, 6 pm to 10 pm

• Saturday, 7 June, 4 pm to 10 pm

• Sunday, 8 June, 2 pm to 10 pm

Tim Zulauf and Georg Rutishauser will be on site and will be happy to talk and exchange ideas. 

We also recommend the following two talks to everyone interested in more insight behind the scenes and the wider context of the work: 

‘Publizieren - für Öffentlichkeiten sorgen?’ - on 5 June at 6.30 pm

On the opening evening on 5 June at 6.30 pm, Lisa Letnansky (dramaturge Tanzhaus, cantonal councillor), Georg Rutishauser (publisher edition fink, book designer) and Tim Zulauf (theatre-maker with KMU productions) will discuss connections between art and books and explore changes between mediation and politics. 

‘Kunstumwelten - Gegenerzählungen zur Gesellschaft’ - on Sunday, 8 June, 4 pm

A discussion on art, experimentation and the public sphere between Sabian Baumann (artist*), Anke Hoffmann (mediator, curator), Yves Netzhammer (artist), Christoph Rath (author, director and actor) and Tim Zulauf: The cultural practitioners - active in the KMU productions network, associated with it or attentively accompanying it - debate how their respective artistic experimentation feeds on contemporary issues and evokes social resonances through inscriptions or counter-worlds.

Now for the weekly overview of the programme, news and everything we want to share with you:

Programme recommendations of the week

31 May, 2 pm

‘FOREVER TOUCHING - an intergenerational exchange programme on queer ageing’ by DIVAS 

What does it mean to grow older when we don’t move along a heteronormative timeline? The DIVAS workshop invites you to explore this question by sharing, listening and touching. More information

4 June, 7 pm

‘Un//Masking in the Performing Arts - a zine launch and neurodivergent community evening’ by Lovis Heuss and colleagues

It's time to celebrate the launch of the zine series ‘un//masking the performing arts’. Texts from the zines will be read and shared in a small panel discussion about experiences and findings from the Un//Masking LAB, which took place over seven days with 8 neurodivergent artists in the Südbühne of the Gessnerallee. More information

5, 7 and 8 June

‘durch Geräusche / unter Wörtern / in Gesellschaft’ by Tim Zulauf/KMUProduktionen and Netzwerk

As part of an exhibitionTim Zulauf/KMUProduktionen present a three-part book project on 16 performances from 22 years: 5 video works on the printed theatre projects open up a moving panorama - from Venice's Isle of the Dead to the care and street prostitution debate around Zurich's sex boxes. There will also be a discussion event on 5 and 8 June. More information

5, 7, 8 and 9 June

‘Begehren’ by LAB Junges Theater Zürich

In the new production by LAB Junges Theater Zürich, 15 actors explore the question of why we desire what we desire and what this has to do with fears, wishes and the tricky nature of being ourselves. All performances are already sold out. Remaining tickets are available at the box office. More information

Furthermore

We are looking for a Production Manager 70-80% from mid-August 2025 or by arrangement. As Production Manager, you will be responsible for the planning, realisation and accounting of the productions in Gessnerallee's theatre, dance and performance programme. More information on the job advertisement

And on Saturday, 28 June, we will celebrate the end of our season. We cordially invite you to a relaxed afternoon in Stall6 and the Werkstatthof. With delicious drinks and snacks, a vegetarian and non-vegetarian barbecue, ice cream, music, a galactic sea of fog in the hall, house tours, a craft corner and a mini costume and accessories flea market. 

If you have beautiful items of clothing or accessories lying around at home that you no longer wear, we would be delighted if you could bring them along to our mini flea market and offer them for sale. You can either sell the items yourself or price them and hand them over to our team to sell. 

So that we can plan the flea market logistically, we would be pleased if you could send a short registration to veserwalther@gessnerallee.ch by 16 June. More information about the event

We look forward to your visit.

The Gessnerallee team

PS: Since the start of the season last summer, we have already published three issues of our newspaper, and the fourth is currently in production. If you also appreciate good cultural stories and a lovingly produced print newspaper, then subscribe to the Gessnerallee newspaper. You can find all the information on our website.