Dear Madam, dear Sir,

«Le définitif, c’est le provisoire» was one of Jean Tinguely’s favourite sayings. It seems exceptionally apposite during these challenging times. The Museum Tinguely remains closed to visitors, the exhibitions are on hold; while behind the scenes, our work continues as before. We are especially pleased to announce that we have been able to extend our exhibition «Amuse-bouche. The Taste of Art» – with works on loan from over fifty different lenders – so that you now have until 26 July 2020 to see it. As things stand at present, we are working on the assumption that Museum Tinguely will be able to start welcoming visitors again as of 9 June.

Meanwhile, anyone interested will find plenty to discover at TINGUELY@HOME, our tried and tested digital offering that supplements and augments the experience of the museum itself. Every week our team selects a new theme to present via newsletter, website and social media. For a brief overview of past themes, click here. We like to think of our online offering as a small but inspiring contribution to lifting everyone’s spirits that will help us get through this challenging time and look to the future with optimism.

For any further assistance, I will be happy to help. Stay connected with us and above all stay healthy!

Yours sincerely,

Isabelle Beilfuss

Head of communication, Museum Tinguely

tinguely@home#1
Multimedia Guide | META-TINGUELY

«Meta-Tinguely» guides you through the museum’s collection, focussing on selected works. Texts, videos, animations and games introduce you to many interesting aspects of Jean Tinguely’s art.

TINGUELY@HOME#2
Audio Book | «Daniel Spoerri beschreibt 54 Werke»

Museum Tinguely’s 2001 exhibition, «Daniel Spoerri – Metteur en scène d'objets», was a major retrospective of the artist’s work. As a tie-in to that exhibition, the museum published a collection of texts called «Anekdotomania» as well as a CD of descriptions of his works written and read aloud by Daniel Spoerri himself. The CD booklet contained pictures of the works themselves alongside the texts. Both publications are long since out of print. To mark Daniel Spoerri’s 90th birthday, however, we’ve retrieved this treasure from our archives so that you can listen to it at home!

>> Listen to the audio book (in German) «Daniel Spoerri beschreibt 54 Werke»

TINGUELY@HOME#3
DIY | Audio Tutorial «Create own music machine»

Our education department invites you to creat your own music machine at home.

>> Suggestion Sheet
>> Starter packs in our online shop

TINGUELY@HOME#4
Video | Conservation department
Jean-Marc Gaillard

We would like to take you on a tour behind the scenes at Museum Tinguely modelled on our ever popular Curator’s Tours. Our conservator and Tinguely’s former assistant, Jean-Marc Gaillard, will take you on a tour of our museum and show you where he works. He will tell you about the challenges of conserving Tinguely's artworks and how he takes some fresh air in these days.

>> Watch video
(in German, subtitles in English)

Tinguely@home#5
JEAN TINGUELY and the Méta-Matics

Tinguely’s Méta-Matics, the drawing machines he created from 1959 onwards, comment in a subtle and at the same time complex way Walter Benjamin’s »work of art in the age of its mechanical reproduction.« In a very cogent manner, they question the author/artist–artwork–spectator triangle. The concept of having machines – or automatons – produce art is by no means a new one. As early as in the 17th century, there had been automatons that were able to draw or write. Tinguely, though, reduced his constructions to pure mechanism and did not surround them with the illusion of a mechanical man; he was interested in the mechanical production of art, not in the convincing reproduction of a sequence of human movements.

>> Find out more about the Méta-Matics

>> DIY | a drawing machine for the home