The project
The art residency of the fifth Switzerland is a cultural exchange project for Swiss artists living abroad. The aim is to establish a platform in Brunnen on the Auslandschweizerplatz (Swiss expatriate square) that serves as an artistic link to Switzerland. Since 2016, a young Swiss expatriate has been invited to Brunnen every two years to work on site for at least four weeks. This is accompanied by a public programme at the Auslandschweizerplatz, which offers insights into the artistic work and promotes cultural exchange with the local population.More information about the past residencies
Residency 2026
The tenth anniversary in 2026 presents an opportunity to establish the art residency of the fifth Switzerland as an important cultural institution and raise its profile beyond Central Switzerland to the rest of the country. After a successful decade, the programme will be further developed through strategic partnerships with the aim of expanding its reach throughout Switzerland. To this end, the Centro di Cultura e d'Arte Ascona, an established name in the Swiss art landscape with the Galleria Sacchetti and its own art residency programme, will take over the running of the art residency of the Fifth Switzerland from the anniversary year onwards.
In February 2026, a jury selected the sculptor Vincent Ineichen (1997) from Toulouse as this year's guest artist of the Art Residency of the Fifth Switzerland, choosing him from nine applicants from around the world. A graduate of the Beaux-Arts in Reims, he combines sculptural practice with a background in art history and archaeology. His project for Brunnen draws connections between (pre)historic and present-day life on Lake Lucerne.
Inspired by the region's prehistoric lakeshore settlements, Vincent plans anthropomorphic sculptures evoking long-vanished populations – silent presences placed throughout the town and its surroundings that invite viewers to imagine the lives of these early people. They are meant to convey both closeness and distance, subtly breaking with the everyday life of the inhabitants.
The core phase of the residency is divided into two parts. During his first stay, Vincent settles into Brunnen, advances his research, visits numerous sites in and around the town, and holds workshops with classes from the local school. In July and August he realises his project, welding metal sculptures shaped by the impressions gathered during his research. These months also feature open studio sessions offering insight into his work. The finissage will take place on 22.8. on the Auslandschweizerplatz.
