“Art gives us the possibility to see the world anew, to take on different lenses to experience it.”
—Julian Charrière, 2024
About the Work
Soothsayers (2021), delves into the ancient art of divination, reinterpreting omens drawn from deep within the Earth. Charrière transforms a large block of coal into a poetic metaphor, placing it atop a steel pedestal that evokes both geological strata and industrial modernity. The coal’s organic, tumor- or tuber-like form contrasts with the pedestal’s rational, angular structure challenging our perceptions of nature and the contemporary world.
The installation invites viewers to step into its darkness through a carved opening in the coal, creating a space for physical and emotional immersion. This gesture seeks to provoke a sensory experience that prompts introspection of our current environmental conditions and the human-nature relationship.
SIGNIFICANCE FOR THE UDEM COMMUNITY
- Presenting Julian Charrière’s work at UDEM offers a unique opportunity to engage with themes of climate change, biodiversity, and the urgency of environmental action.
- His practice exemplifies how art can serve as a powerful tool to emotionally connect with some of the most complex and abstract issues of our time.
- Charrière’s work challenges us not only to see the world through a new lens but also to actively participate in building a more conscious and sustainable future.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Julian Charrière
Julian Charrière (b. 1987, Morges, Switzerland) creates work that bridges environmental science and cultural history, drawing on disciplines such as geology, biology, physics, and archaeology. He has traveled to remote regions—including Antarctica and the radioactive Bikini Atoll—to document humanity’s lasting impact on the environment.
He has exhibited both solo and with the Berlin-based collective Das Numen at major institutions including the San Francisco MoMA, Dallas Museum of Art, MAMbo in Bologna, MASI in Lugano, Neue Nationalgalerie in Berlin, and the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo, among many others. His work has also featured international biennials such as Venice, Lyon, Kochi-Muziris, Toronto, and Santiago.
Charrière studied at the Institut für Raumexperimente under the mentorship of Olafur Eliasson. He has received several awards, including the Kiefer Hablitzel / Swiss Art Award (2013, 2015), the GASAG Art Prize (2018), and most recently, the inaugural Eric and Wendy Schmidt Environment and Art Prize from the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (2024).
He currently lives and works in Berlin.