AiRArtist in Residence

Chretzeturm

The artist duo Willimann/Arai, comprising Nina Willimann and Mayumi Arai, moves in their work between art, research and social intervention. They question modern and colonial narratives such as West/East, Self/Other and Nature/Culture. In their projects, the two artists create spaces of the «in-between» in which such opposites are dissolved and reinterpreted. In collaboration with visitors, local communities and experts, they develop context-specific arrangements and polyphonic forms of narration grounded in research-based work processes.
Since 2015, Willimann/Arai have been working on several interconnected long-term projects, including How to disappear (completely), Swiss Gymnastics, The gift exercise and Avatar tours. Of particular significance is the ongoing project The gift exercise, which has been exploring the cultural technique of hospitality since 2016. In a series of invitations that result in site-specific settings and performances, they examine the complex roles of hosts and guests and question associated power relations from an autoethnographic perspective. Integrating their own research position and their personal knowledge background Willimann/Arai not only create spaces for reflection, but also for participation. They actively involve the audience in their projects, creating moments of exchange and encounter.

Nina Willimann (*1982, Sursee/CH, lives and works in Zurich/CH) and Mayumi Arai (*1988, New York/US, lives and works in Tokyo/JP and Zurich/CH) have developed a creative dialog between Zurich and Tokyo that is shaped by their different cultural backgrounds and academic careers. While Willimann holds a Master's degree in Transdisciplinary Studies from the Zurich University of the Arts, Arai completed her PhD in Fine Arts at the Tokyo University of the Arts. Their works have been exhibited internationally and presented in renowned art institutions, including the Helmhaus in Zurich, the Taipei Fine Arts Museum and the Ming Contemporary Art Museum in Shanghai. Among their significant artist residencies are residencies at the Fundaziun Nairs in Scuol/CH, at Tsung-Yeh Artist Village in Tainan/TW or at Art-72rooms in Shanghai/CH. Their artistic practice has been recognized with numerous awards and grants, including the Taipei Art Award and the JUWO Foundation's Kunst am Bau Prize.

Further information
https://willimannarai.net