Artist’s statement by Alex Schauwecker, Walfisch-Studio:

1982 I was born in the old imperial city of Kyoto.

I spent my first childhood under the spell of refined old Japanese traditions, surrounded by the mountains and temples in the Kyoto basin.

When I was younger, what kept me on the move was the skateboard. What has stayed with me is an enduring passion for the mountains and an equal fascination by the topography of urban life. From both sources I draw inspiration for my work as an artist up to this day.

“Nature gives me happiness and teaches me patience.”

Working in my atelier in an old district of Zurich, I find myself in the middle of the hustle and bustle of everyday city life, and still, in the distance, I can see the beautiful Swiss Alps. In between, the space of imagination is wide open for a free circulation of ideas and concepts that find their way into my sketches and drawings. I do not think and work in terms of contrasts, of “either- or”. I am rather bent on a kind of art that discovers the common ground of both worlds and challenges the conventional perception of reality.




COLLECTION

-Kunstsammlung des Kantons Zürich (Hochbauamt), photos and drawings

-Kunsthaus Zürich (Bibliothek), books




PUBLICATIONS

-“Instructions How to Find Your Inner Dolphin“, 2016, Innen Zines,
  http://www.innenzines.com/index.php?/zines/alex-schauwecker/

-“Whales, Ghosts and Other Stuff“, Kodoji Press, 2015, with financial
  support by the Guggenheim Fondation and art advancement by
  canton Zürich, http://kodoji.com/

-“Der Walbub“, 2015 Hakuin-Verlag, a children‘s book, story and
  drawings by Alex Schauwecker, http://www.hakuin-verlag.com/




OTHER PROJECTS

-Cofounder Hakuin-Verlag:
 http://www.hakuin-verlag.com/

-Cofounder Offspace and Bookstore Materialismus:
 https://www.materialismus.ch/




YOUTUBE

-“Der Walbub“, performance at the book launch of the children‘s book:
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRu2a_9iJcU&list=PLMfHaO9B1VishiS
  FedHtRSwZlVlXOpPTT

-Besuch des Fernsehsender CH-TV im Atelier:
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wCcrSOV8Us&t=51s

-“Wolfskateboard“, animation:
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYklmoFPxTg&list=PLMfHaO9B1VishiS
  FedHtRSwZlVlXOpPTT&index=3

-“Entre Chien et Loup“, documentation of artist-in-residence in Furna
 (Graubünden), 2015:
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVbCof_wEz8&index=5&list=PLMf
  HaO9B1VishiSFedHtRSwZlVlXOpPTT

-“Entre Chien et Loup“, animation, 2015:
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2iQNAgIR0k&index=2&list=PLMf
  HaO9B1VishiSFedHtRSwZlVlXOpPTT




SELECTION OF EXHIBITIONS

2018

„Where the City ends, the Forest begins“, soloshow and workshop,
  Standpoint Gallery, London, January, supported by the Pro Helvetia

-Zine Fair Moskau with Hakuin-Verlag, show and concert, April,
  supported by the Pro Helvetia

2017

-solo show, Slope Gallery, Tokyo, September – October

-“Wo die Stadt aufhört, beginnt der Wald“, solo show, Tart Gallery,
  Zürich, August

-“Los Angeles Book Art Fair“, February,
  with Hakuin Publishing, supported by the Pro Helvetia


2016

-“Die Welle lässt sich nicht aufhalten“, solo show,
Offspace Kulturfolger, Zürich, October

-Groupshow, Kunstraum Benzeholz, Meggen, October

-“The Whaleboy“, book release, New York Book Art Fair, September


2015

-“Der Walbub“ book release at Urban Spree Gallery, Berlin, December

-participation at the Tokyo Book Art Fair, with Kodoji Press and support
  by Pro Helvetia, September


2014

-Solo Show, Number 12 Gallery, Tokyo, October

-Solo Show, Gepäckausgabe, Kunsthaus Glarus, Mai-June

-Books at Tokyo Book Art Fair



2013

-Oslo Gallery, group exhibition, Basel

-Books at „I Never Read Book Art Fair“ during Art Basel

-Moma PS1, New York, Book Art Fair

-Books at Tokyo Book Art Fair


SELECTION OF CLIENTS

Kinki Magazin
ZHdK
Bildungsdepartement des Kantons Zürichs
Ikea
Manor
Globus
Monster Backside Snowboarder Magazine
Albin Snowboards
Luminosa Production
Annabelle
Peter Bichsel Finebooks
In der Hand
Yeti Food
Arcus
Kodoji Press
Weisse Arena



TEACHING ACTIVITY

-workshop with foster children, Standpoint Gallery London, January
  2018

-by proxy, ZHdK, October 2017 till January 2018, Master Art Education,
  drawing and writing class

-workshop with children at Volumes, Helmhaus, october 2017

-workshop with young adults designing posters and advertisement for a
  theater festival, commissioned by ZHdK, 2016