“We, the artists and the exhibited artworks, are part of a larger whole: Your artwork, Esther.” Kerim Seiler
From the beginnings of the message salon art space in 1995 until the end of the Perla-Mode era in December 2013, Esther Eppstein photographed the artists, the installation of the exhibitions, the vernissages and the numerous visitors with an analogue compact camera. Over the years, a kind of subjective family album was created around the message salon as a meeting place and platform for the Zurich art scene.
During the Perla-Mode era, the photo albums, continuously edited and completed by Esther Eppstein, were available for visitors to view in the message salon on the first floor of Perla-Mode. Over a period of seven years, 58 photo albums of 100 pictures each were created. These 58 Perla-Mode photo albums form the source material and the focus of the 680-page book ‘Esther Eppstein message salon’. The publication on the history of the message salon also contains a second part with photographs from the period since 1995, as well as texts by Kerim Seiler and Nadine Olonetzky.
The book is Esther Eppstein’s artistic monograph of an oeuvre that has grown over the years and the salon as a fleeting art practice that can be captured and documented with the medium of photography.
In the exhibition, Esther Eppstein is also presenting the five-hour video ‘Perla Mode Album’ for the first time, which, in contrast to the printed publication, shows all 58 photographed Perla Mode albums in exact chronological order.
The book
‘Esther Eppstein message salon’, Photography: Esther Eppstein, Design: Benjamin Sommerhalder, Book cover: Alexis Saile, Texts: Kerim Seiler and Nadine Olonetzky, 680 pages, Hardback, 24 x 31 cm, black and white and colour, German and English, 1st edition, 2016, ISBN 978-3-85881-456-2, Published by Scheidegger & Spiess, Zurich
The video
Esther Eppstein ‘Perla-Mode-Album’, Photography: Esther Eppstein, 58 albums with 100 photos each, Chronology September 2006-December 2013, Video 4h 56 min, message salon 2016, Production Filmerei.ch, Zurich
Programme in the exhibition
Book launch Wednesday 4 May, 6pm, the book will be available at the book launch for the special price of CHF 60.
Thursday, 5 May
Trabant Echo, Concert in the exhibition, Tobias von Glenck: bass and guitar / Martin Lorenz: drums and electronics, opening: 8.30 pm, concert: 9 pm
Friday, 6 May
Le salon dans le Salon ‘message salon for ever’, open discussion in the exhibition, moderated by Dr Iemmolo (English and German), opening: 6 pm, discussion: 7 to 8 pm
Saturday, 7 May
Finissage, with DJ Sistaesta and performance by None of Them, 22 pm to 03 am
With thanks to Zainab Lascandri, Moe Arnold, Karin Müller, Nico Sebastian Meyer and Kunstraum Walcheturm. This exhibition is supported by the Erna and Curt Burgauer Foundation, Perla-Mode-Veterans and Filmerei.ch.