Art--an attraction in Bern: Bern's art galleries welcome the world at the 16th annual art gallery weekend--a typically Bernese concept of showcasing its art.

Anyone who thinks that the art scene in Switzerland revolves purely around the cities of Zurich, Geneva and Basel, might want to reconsider after a trip to the country.

This month the art galleries of Bern will be opening their doors to the 16th annual gallery week. end--a concept that actually started in Bern, later to be copied by Switzerland's other major cities.

"Bern has often been at the forefront of the Swiss arts scene," states Raphael Rigassi, vice-president of the Bern galleries association, as he welcomes Swiss News into his own gallery in the heart of the city's old town.

In the 50s and 60s, Bern really was at the centre of everything cultural and many renowned artists such as James Lee Byars, Sigmar Polke, Dieter Roth, Jean Tinguely and Niki de Saint-Phalle actually came out of that scene.

"It's true perhaps that cities like Zurich and Basel might be more well-known to the general international public. But for those in the know, Bern is certainly a match for the big cities when it comes to quality."

The works on Rigassi's walls echo the words of the gallery owner. When Swiss News visited, the gallery was displaying the almost primeval-looking paintings of the internationally renowned Chinese-born and now American Zhou brothers, who produce their art in tandem--often in front of an audience.

Art and Music

At January's gallery weekend, the Rigassi gallery will be exhibiting the creations of French-American sculptor Arman--a co-founder of the New Realist movement along with Yves Klein and Tinguely.

Several of Arman's works based around smashed-up violins will be on show, accompanied by live violin music, all fitting in with this year's theme for the Bern gallery weekend, "Art and Music."

"We try to have at least a loose theme each year, so that it's not just about a bunch of different galleries being open all weekend," explains Rigassi. "But more important than the theme is the original concept of the weekend, which is all about getting people to visit the galleries who might not usually do so."

"I have always noticed that people seem to have what you might call a 'Turangst'--a fear of crossing the doorway--when it comes to galleries. They appear to think galleries are a holy place but I can't see anything holy about this place! So the overall aim was to get fathers and mothers and their children into the galleries, and let them enjoy a very relaxed Sunday with food and drink, and of course art."

Other galleries taking up the art and music theme include the Henze & Ketterer gallery, which will be looking to demonstrate the importance of music and musical symbols in the early abstract paintings of Francis Bott, Gunther Gumpert and Theo Eble.

A much clearer link between the visual arts and music can be seen at the Kornfeld gallery which focuses on one man who combines work in both fields--Swiss sculptor and electro-acoustic music composer Oscar Wiggli.

Wiggli himself will be at the gallery on the Sunday, talking about his art that makes use of music to inspire his steel sculptures and vice versa.

Expansion

Though not attempting to overtake Zurich when it comes to the number of its galleries, the Bern association has undergone something of an expansion, growing from 11 members to 13 with the recent addition of the Bernhard Bischoff gallery in Thun and Burgdorfs Gallery in the Park.

Initially met with scepticism from some members of the association, this expansion marked the first time that galleries from outside the city of Bern had been accepted into the fold.

"The expansion also offered us the chance to get some young blood into the organisation because the guys running the two new galleries are quite a lot younger than the rest of us.

As manager of the Gallery in the Park, 37-year-old Stefan Wimmer is one of those "youngsters". And he feels the addition of the two new galleries has been of clear benefit not only to the galleries, but also to the association and indeed the entire Bern art scene.

"It was important for us to show that the art region in Bern was about much more than what you see in the city and joining the association has certainly allowed us to attract good business and people on a larger scale than before.

More Attention

"Last year was our first time taking part in the January galleries weekend and by offering a shuttle bus from Bern to Thun and Burgdoff, we were able to get much more attention than we could ever have got on our own.

"I'd agree that our relative youth can help the association as well, because although many of the existing gallery owners have been in the business for decades, there have been some big changes in the past ten years--for example, the current lack of funding at many of the world's state-sponsored museums has given the galleries an opportunity to really help bring on new artists.

"By working together as an association we can also exchange ideas over our programmes and activities, co-ordinate our openings and just generally develop the strength of contemporary, art in Bern.

Rigassi and Wimmer both believe that next year's opening of the new Klee centre on the outskirts of Bern will give further proof of the city's artistic credentials, and perhaps help the capital draw more favourable comparisons with its neighbours.

"Of course, Zurich will continue to be the main draw for international art lovers visiting Switzerland," Rigassi concedes. "But we have to remember that Bern only has about 130,000 inhabitants so in terms of its population it has more to offer in terms of galleries and cultural events than Geneva, Basel or Zurich.

"That doesn't mean that it's all about being the biggest though. In fact I think the real pleasure to be found in discovering Bern's gallery scene is that it is a quiet discovery.

"There is definitely a calmer approach to art here because Bern is a relatively quiet place and we have a different way of looking at things than they do in London, Paris or New York. We don't feel the need to be constantly looking out for art that is avant-garde just for the sake of it, and we wouldn't have the public that would be interested in coming to see the very latest hot trend--without caring if it's good or bad."

Of course the quiet, unassuming side of Bern's art gallery, scene won't be too evident during the popular January weekend, which takes place this year on January 15-16. Those wishing to elbow their way in and judge Bern's artistic merits for themselves can also check out the association's individual offerings in advance via the website www.swissart.net/bern.