Contact

Gen Atem
Baumgartenstrasse 335
CH-4715 Herbetswil
Switzerland
gen@genatem.com

Publications
edition.bossardwettstein.com

Life and career
wikipedia.org

Solo exhibitions (selection)
2021: Truth and Shadows, Galerie Loiegruebe, Solothurn, Switzerland
2019: Truth, Corydor Artspace, Wallisellen, Zurich, Switzerland
2018: Retrospective, Galerie Roman Hofer Am Fluss, Ennetbaden, Switzerland
2018: Duality, Hongakuji Bok-Koku School of Calligraphy, Tokyo, Japan
2017: Form is Emptiness, MoE – Museum of Emptiness, St. Gallen, Switzerland
2017: Meditated Vandalism, Galerie Philipp Brogli Artstuebli, Basel, Switzerland
2017: Now is Gone, Galerie Fahrradbüro, Art Adventures Sascha Serfözö, Berlin, Germany
2016: Meditated Vandalism: Retrospective of the Function, Kolly Gallery, Zurich, Switzerland
2016: Resurrection, Round K Gallery, New York City, USA
2014: Rock/Stars, Galerie Lisi Hämmerle, Bregenz, Austria
2014: Meditated Vandalism, Kolly Gallery, Zurich, Switzerland
2011: The Aerosol Experience, Galerie Ziegler SA, Zurich, Switzerland
2011: Executions, Milk Gallery, Istanbul, Turkey
2010: Meditated Vandalism, Galerie Parzelle, Basel, Switzerland
2009: Pages, BlamBlamBlam Art Gallery, Zurich, Switzerland
1991: Strategy of the Unreadable, Kunstraum SRO, Zurich, Switzerland
1990: Wild Style Paintings, Kunsthaus Oerlikon, Zurich, Switzerland
1989: Style Mentalities, Galerie Artagogo, Zurich, Switzerland
1984: Graffity, Casablanca Gallery, Zurich, Switzerland

Performances (selection)
2025: Stephan Wittwer Tribute, Kunstraum Walcheturm, Zurich, Switzerland
2024: Always Rigth, UrbanArt Biennale, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Völklingen Ironworks, Germany
2021: Pictures at an Exhibition, Multimedia Opera, Solothurn, Switzerland
2020: Cycle, for Hochparterre, Magazine for architecture, Zurich, Switzerland
2017: Duality, Hongakuji Bok-Koku School of Calligraphy, Tokyo, Japan
2017: Free Style Battle, Kaat Kanagawa Arts Theatre, Yokohama, Japan
2017: Meditated Vandalism, Blue Balls Festival, Lucerne Culture and Congress Centre, Lucern, Switzerland
2017: La Perle, IOIC – Institute of Incoherent Cinématography, Misterioso Jazz Club, Zurich, Switzerland
2017: Meditated Vandalism, Galerie Philipp Brogli Artstübli, Basel, Switzerland
2016: Meditated Vandalism, Kolly Gallery, Zurich, Switzerland
2016: Hommage to Dieter Roth, Biennale Wangen, Wangen an der Aare, Switzerland
2015: The End of Language, Grafik 15 Art Fair, Zurich, Switzerland
2014: Dearly Beloved, Pointless Act, Réunion Off Space, Zurich, Switzerland
2014: Now is Gone, Galerie Lisi Hämmerle, Bregenz, Austria
2013: Kenryo Hara vs Gen Atem, Otori Kaikan, Tokyo, Japan
2013: Die Grenzwelt, Zukunft Club, Zurich, Switzerland
2012: Hurt, Museum Helmhaus, Zurich, Switzerland
2012: In The Name of…, Annasatoko Gallery, Istanbul, Turkey
2012: Die Grenzwelt, Exil Club, Zurich, Switzerland
2012: Blank City Calling: Container, Spunk Culture Club, Zurich, Switzerland
2011: The Aerosol Experience, Galerie Ziegler SA, Zurich, Switzerland
2011: Atem vs Chrétien, Il Rivellino Art Gallery, Locarno, Switzerland
2011: Executions, Milk Gallery, Istanbul, Turkey
2010: The Twelve Links, Galerie Parzelle, Basel, Switzerland
2009: Going Over, BlamBlamBlam Gallery, Zurich, Switzerland
2009: Give and Take, Museum of Design, Zurich, Switzerland
1996: Das T.E.A.M., Moods, Zurich, Switzerland
1996: Das T.E.A.M., Kunstraum Walcheturm, Zurich, Switzerland
1994: Rammellzee vs Gen U One, The Battle Station Satellite, New York City, USA
1994: A Voices Ceremony, Café Zähringer, Zurich, Switerland
1993: Rammellzee vs Gen U One, Eigen+Art Gallery, New York City, USA
1993: A Voices Ceremony, Kunstraum SRO, Zurich, Switzerland
1992: Time Stoppers, Knotted Minds…: Rammellzee vs Gen U One, The Battle Station Satellite, New York City, USA
1992: The Gargoylian Books of Stock: Rammellzee vs Gen U One, Gallery Yaki Kornblit, Amsterdam, Netherlands
1992: Retrospective of the Equation: Rammellzee vs Gen U One, MSS Gallery, New York City, USA
1991: The Gargoylian Books of Stock: Rammellzee vs Gen U One, The Battle Station Satellite, New York City, USA
1989: Echoes of Wild Style, Kunsthaus Oerlikon, Zurich, Switzerland
1989: While I Kiss the Sky, University of Applied Sciences, Rapperswil, Switzerland

Group exhibitions and exhibition participations (selection)
2024: Cantonal Annual Exhibition of Solothurn Artists, Solothurn Museum of Art, Switzerland 
2024: UrbanArt Biennale, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Völklingen Ironworks, Germany
2023: Cantonal Annual Exhibition of Solothurn Artists, Olten Museum of Art, Switzerland
2023: Retrospective A23, MUVA, Museum of Urban and Vandalism Art, Solothurn, Switzerland
2022: Bang Bang, Translocal Hi:stories of Performance Art, Museum Tinguely, Basel, Switzerland
2022: Graffiti Pioneers, Galerie Philipp Brogli Artstuebli, Basel, Switzerland
2021: Tracks of Life, Galerie am Fluss, Baden, Switzerland
2021: Beyond The Street, Carbon Gallery, Curated by Fumihiko Tsukamoto, Fukuoka City, Japan
2021: Archive, Galerie Philipp Brogli Artstuebli, Basel, Switzerland
2018: Rammellzee: Racing for Thunder, Red Bull Arts New York, New York, NY, USA
2019: Graffiti Pioneers, Galerie Philipp Brogli Artstuebli, Basel, Switzerland
2017: Roule Petit Ougandais, Kolly Gallery, Zurich, Switzerland
2016: Hommage to Dieter Roth, Biennale Wangen, Wangen an der Aare, Switzerland
2015: Cosmic Flush, Magda Danysz Gallery, London, United Kingdom
2015: 1/12, Egli Space, Zurich, Switzerland
2015: Fifty Fifty, Kolly Gallery, Geneva, Switzerland
2015: Past & Future, Kolly Gallery, Zurich, Switzerland
2014: Union, Pointless Act, Réunion Off Space, Zurich, Switzerland
2014: No Title, Kolly Gallery, Zurich, Switzerland
2013: Pimp My Painting, Message Salon Esther Eppstein, Zurich, Switzerland
2013: Friends, Twoseven Gallery, Brooklyn, New York, NY, USA
2013: Jet Age, so+ba Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
2013: No title, Galerie Grizot, Paris, France
2012: Organic Structures, Annasatoko Gallery, Istanbul, Turkey
2012: Neo Vandalism, Stroke, Urban Art Fair, Neo Vandalism Art Gallery, Munich, Germany
2012: Similitudes, Galerie Ziegler SA, Zurich, Switzerland
2012: The Aerosol Experience, Galerie Ziegler SA, Zurich, Switzerland
2011: 5/1, Il Rivellino Art Gallery, Locarno, Switzerland
2011: Uberpush, Pfauen Offspace, Zurich, Switzerland
2010: Delete, Starkart Gallery, Zurich, Switzerland
2009: Starkart, Starkart Gallery, Zurich, Switzerland
2001: Video Art, Johann Jacobs Museum, Zurich, Switzerland
1995: Anarchy and Aerosol, Historic Museum Baden, Baden, Switzerland
1992: Kunstszene Zurich, Galerie Susi Brunner, Zurich, Switzerland
1992: La Table de Nuit, Gallery 210, Zurich, Switzerland
1992: Rammellzee, Retrospective of The Equation, The Battle Station Satellite, New York, NY, USA

Art in public space (selection)
2024: Always Rigth, UrbanArt Biennale, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Völklingen Ironworks, Germany
2023: MUVA (The Monolith), Museum of Urban and Vandalism Art, Solothurn, Switzerland
2022: Flora Magica, mandate for a mural, Rapperswil-Jona, St. Gallen, Switzerland
2017: Christoph Blocher, mandate for a mural, Campus Attisholz, Solothurn, Switzerland
2017: Meditated Vandalism, mandate for a painting, KKL, Blueballs Festival, Lucern, Switzerland
2016: Hommage to Dieter Roth, paintings and installation, Biennale Wangen, Wangen an der Aare, Switzerland
2015: Time Frame, mandate for paintings/sculptures, Art collection of the Canton of Zurich, University of Zurich, Switzerland
2015: The End of Language, mandate for a sculpture/painting, Grafik15, Art Fair, Zurich, Switzerland
2013: The Answer My Friend, drawing/performance, Louvre, Paris, France
2012: Hurt, painting/performance/installation, Bahnhof Tiefenbrunnen, Zurich, Switzerland
1993: Time Train, mandate for paintings/sculptures, Art collection of the Canton of Zurich, University of Zurich, Switzerland
1990: Graffiti is Dead, mandate for a mural, State of Zurich, Head Office of Civil Defence Departement, Zurich, Switzerland
1990: Wild Styles, mandate for six murals, City of Zurich, The Civil Engineering Office, Zurich, Switzerland
1988: Whirl, mandate for a mural, City of Zurich, Departement of Culture, Hechtplatz Theater, Zurich, Switzerland
1986: Wild Writers, mandate for 3 murals, City of Zurich, VBZ Public Transport Authority, Zurich, Switzerland
1982: Graffiti and Urban Art projects in New York City, Paris, Amsterdam, Zurich, and other cities (1982 to 1994)

Music (selection)
2023: I Can See You, Studio Single, with Paradox Six
2022: Lost Tracks, Studio Solo Album
2020: Truth, Studio Solo Album
2014: Not Here, Studio Solo Album
1992: The Subway Monk, Studio Solo Album (released in 2017)

Teaching activities (selection)
2022 to present: Lecturer in color theory and visual design at Higher College of Arts and Design, St. Gallen, Switzerland
1999 – 2009: Lecturer in Buddhist philosophy and meditation at several high schools of the canton of Zurich and at The Four Seasons Center for Mindfulness and Meditation, Zurich, Switzerland
1997 – 1999: Apprentice Instructor for graphic designers at Bost Productions, Maur, Switzerland
1986 – 1994: Mentor for Style Writing, Type Design, and Typography at AVC, Zurich, Switzerland

Resonance (selection)
2025: Felix Reich: Das Gute ist nicht verhandelbar. In Reformiert Zeitung (January, 2025).
2024: Ramm:Ell:Zee, Racing For Thunder. Rizzoli Electa and New Canons, ISBN 978-0-8478-9937-1.
2024: Upper Class – Out of Nowhere. Druck Buch Verlag, ISNB 978-3-033-10495-2.
2024: Robert Kaltenhäuser: Always Right. On UNESCO Weltkulturerbe Völklinger Hütte.
2024: Urban Art Biennale 2024, UNESCO World Heritage: Always Right, documentary film (October 2024).
2024: Rahel Bühler: New York, Zürich, Herbetswil. In Solothurner Zeitung (April 24, 2024).
2023: Werne Feller / Tom Lauterbach: Recording 3.0. BTS Beneath The Surface, ISNB 978-3-98-211492-7.
2023: Gen Atem: Kunst und Kapital. In Recording 3.0. BTS Beneath The Surface, ISNB 978-3-98-211492-7.
2023: Urs Byland: Lohnender Blick zurück auf 14 Jahre Kunst. In Solothurner Zeitung (June 15, 2023).
2023: Urs Byland: Ein Museum für die Sprayerkunst. In Solothurner Zeitung (May 17, 2023).
2021: Eva Buhrfeind: Momente zwischen Wahrheit und Schatten. In Solothurner Zeitung (October 12, 2021)
2021: Die Ostschweiz: Rapperswil-Jona wird verschönert
2022: Gen Atem / Miriam Bossard: Farbenlehre. Edition Bossard Wettstein, ISNB 978-3-9525372-3-7.
2022: Gen Atem / Miriam Bossard: Flora Magica. Edition Bossard Wettstein, ISNB 978-3-9525372-2-0.
2022: Rahel Marti: Flora Magica. In Hochparterre, Journal for Architecure and Design (August 2022).
2022: Jérôme Stern: Die Unterführung in Jona ist ihr Atelier. In Linth Zeitung (May 31, 2022).
2022: Linth24: Vom Unort zum Kunstwerk (May 13, 2022).
2022: Gen Atem / Miriam Bossard: Meditated Vandalism: Form is Emptiness, ISNB 978-3-9525372-1-3.
2021: Jérôme Stern: Dieses Paar verwandelt… On Linth24 (November 7, 2021).
2021: Mirjam Staudenmann: Lieber Solothurn als ein Hamsterrad on Zmitz (October 6, 2021).
2021: Silvia Rietz: Mussorgsky ganz neu interpretiert. In Aargauer Zeitung (September 2, 2021).
2021: Stadt Rapperswil-Jona: Flora Magica siegt… (August 31, 2021).
2021: Jérôme Stern: Flora Magica siegt… On Linth24 (August 31, 2021).
2020: The Graffiti Review: Read All About It (December 27, 2020).
2020: Thierry Furger: Graffiti an der Line in Basel. Thierry Furger Verlag.
2020: Pierroz: Gen Atem, The Tanks You Role. On Vitaltransformer (February 25, 2020).
2019: Gen Atem: Form is Emptiness. In: Boulevard – On Trespassing and Cultur, No.1 – Classics, Hitzerot Druckwerke.
2019: Widewalls, Modern and Contemporary Art Resource: Gen Atem, Exhibitions.
2019: Trix Barmettler: Pointless Act. On: Pointless Acts (November 21, 2014).
2019: RCKSTR Magazin #94: Die Grenzwelt live at EXIL Club Zurich. Archived on Issuu (Sepember 2012).
2019: Klemens Wempe: Blank City Calling. On: Sonic Records blogspot (June 4, 2012).
2019: Resident Advisor: Die Grenzwelt live at Zukunft Club, Zurich (May 8, 2013).
2019: Philipp Brogli: “Gen Atem”. In: artyou (May 3, 2014).
2019: Sophie Hardach: Basel in the spotlight…. In: The Guardian (April 19, 2018).
2019: Pierroz: Gen Atem und Miriam Bossard “Truth”. On Vitaltransformer (April 12, 2019).
2019: Dascha Lüscher: Kunst aus der Leere und Fülle. On SRF Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen (March 2, 2019).
2019: SRF Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen: Erst meditieren, dann explodieren. (March 1, 2019).
2019: Matthias Ackeret: Truth. In: Persönlich Magazin (March 2019).
2019: Anna Raymann: Wahrheit durch die rosa Brille. On Hochparterre, Zeitschrift für Architektur + Design (March 20, 2019).
2019: Philipp Brogli: Meditated Vandalism. On: Artstübli (January 11, 2017).
2019: Susanne Schneider: Gen Atem über das grösste Urban-Art-Wandbild der Schweiz…. p. 40/41. In: SoRock Kulturmagazin Solothurn (January 2019).
2018: Philipp Anz, Jules Spinatsch and Viola Zimmermann: Schmieren / Kleben, From the Archive KKIII of the Zurich City Police, 1976-1989. Edition Patrick Frey, ISBN: 978-3-906803-61-6.
2018: David Gartmann: Pretty Zeecity Retrospective. David Gartmann Verlag, ISBN 978-3-0330-6760-8.
2018: Urs Byland: Das Attisholz…. In: Solothurner Zeitung, az Nordwestschweiz (August 13, 2018).
2018: Benjamin Rosch und Naomi Gregoris: “Basel Line”: Den Anfang machte ein Zürcher. In: Basler Zeitung (14 July 2018).
2018: Pierroz Peter Bolli aka Alfred Koller: Grosse Kunst oder grosser Mist. On: Vitaltransformer (February 25, 2018).
2017: Werne Feller / Tom Lauterbach: Recording 1.0. Surface Books, ISNB 978-3-939855-48-4.
2017: Pierroz Peter Bolli aka Alfred Koller: Meditated Vandalism. On: Vitaltransformer (November 1, 2017).
2017: Hans Uli Von Erlach: Meditated Vandalism. In: Finanz und Wirtschaft (Luxe-Magazin).
2017: Hannes Hug: Meet the Artists. On: The Blue Balls Festival youtube channel (July 30, 2017).
2017: Brigitte Schmid-Gugler: Weiss die Tarnfarbe, dass ich bin? In: St. Galler Tagblatt (June 18, 2017).
2017: Peter Surber: Museumstag: Fülle und Leere. In: Saiten Kulturmagazin (May 19, 2017).
2017: Pierroz: Last DeadMaus YearNight. On Vitaltransformer (March 29, 2017).
2017: Mara Sartore: Meditated Vandalism. On: My Art Guides (February 2017).
2017: Enrico Sitelli: Meditated Vandalism. On: MutualArt (February 20, 2017).
2017: Enrico Sitelli: Meditated Vandalism. On: Vernissage TV (February 20, 2017).
2017: Der Tote Koller: Drowning The Dead. On Vitaltransformer (January 17, 2021).
2017: Collagen. On: Neues Deutschland (January 13, 2017).
2016: Meret Ernst: Wiederkunst. In Hochparterre, Zeitschrift für Architektur + Design. Archived by ETH Zurich, Periodica p.5.
2016: Rémi Jaccard, DPhil: Meditated Vandalism. Hatje Cantz Verlag, Berlin, ISBN 978-3-7757-4183-5.
2016: Terrence Sanders: 101 Contemporary Artists. ArtVoices Art Books, Los Angeles, ISBN: 978-0692650820.
2016: Otmar Maag Migel: ZeeCity. Otmar Maag Migel und M.O.D.-Verlag, ISBN 978-3-0330-4603-0.
2016: Walter Aeschimann: Zwischen Zen und Zorn. In: Neue Zürcher Zeitung (December 11, 2016).
2016: Karin Moser: Künstler Gen Atem: Der “Genius”. In: Neue Zürcher Zeitung (December 8, 2016).
2016: Michael André Ankermüller: Würdigung und Ablehnung eigener Vorbilder. On Blog Bohème (November 2, 2016).
2016: Alex Pistoia: Gen Atem’s Solo Show and Book Release. On: 14K Magazine (October 6, 2016).
2016: Muriel Gnehm: Platsch. In: Tages-Anzeiger (October 5, 2016).
2016: Angie Kordic: Gen Atem Graffiti Exhibition is Coming to Kolly Gallery. On: Widewalls, Modern and Contemporary Art Resource (October 3, 2016).
2016: Robert Grogg: Daniela Roth sieht Grün. In: Langenthaler Tagblatt (June 24, 2016).
2016: Alex Winiger: Gen-U-One. On mural.ch (March 3, 2016).
2016: Walter Aeschimann: Grelle Zeichen aus dem Untergrund. In: Neue Zürcher Zeitung (March 4, 2016).
2016: Jean-Marc Nia: Am Anfang war die Wand. In Tages Anzeiger (February 19, 2016).
2015: Niels Shoe Meulman: Abstract Vandalism. Unruly Publishing, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. ISBN: 978-9082340709.
2015: Canton of Zurich: Time Frame. On: Kanton Zürich, Baudirektion, Hochbauamt, Kunst am Bau.
2015: Gen Atem / Miriam Bossard: Time Frame. ISBN 978-303305-280-2.
2015: Walter Phillips: Time Frame. On Daily Tonic by Architonic (November 23, 2015).
2015: Pierroz: Gen Atem “Not Here” Das Album. On Vitaltransformer (May 21, 2015).
2015: Pierroz: Vandalenakt an der Grafik 15. On: Vitaltransformer (March 16, 2015).
2014: Urgesteine gegen die Vergänglichkeit. In: Vorarlberger Nachrichten (December 4, 2014).
2014: Inge El-Himoud-Sperlich: Stars in Rot, Felsen in Weiss. In: Neue Kultur (November 25, 2014).
2014: Ana Bambic: Meditated Vandalism. On: Widewalls, Modern and Contemporary Art Resource (June 28, 2014)
2014: Cédric Auer: “Gen Atem“. On: The CHTV youtube channel (May 9, 2014).
2012: Similitudes. In Neue Zürcher Zeitung (March 12, 2012).
2012: Similitudes. On: Artnet (March 2012).
2012: Jurczok 1001: Hurt. On: Masterplanet.
2012: Serge Ziegler: Similitudes. In Artcollector Art Magazine, Munich, Germany.
2012: He Jianping: One by One. Guangzhou Sendpoints Books, Guangzhou, China, ISBN: 978-3981455700
2012: Beate Kaps: Similitudes. On Kunstaspekte, Düsseldorf, Germany
2011: Alex Pistoia: The Aerosol Experience. On: 14K Magazine (December 13, 2011).
2011: Artnet: Galerie Ziegler SA, The Aerosol Experience (November 2011).
2009: Alex Pistoia: Gen Atem at BlamBlamBlam. On: 14K Magazine (October 28, 2009).
2008: Verlag Wüest & Partner SA, Switerland: Immo-Monitoring.
2006: Gen Atem: Die Vier Edlen Wahrheiten (The Four Noble Truths – An Introduction to Buddhism). ISBN 978-303300-610-2.
1999: Beat Suter: Swiss Graffiti. Aragon GmbH, Moers, Germany, ISBN: 978-3895354618
1995: Beat Suter: City Walls Switzerland, Art Crimes Zurich. On: graffiti-dot-org.
1995: Meili Dschen: Anarchie und Aerosol: Wandsprüche und Graffiti 1980-1995 (Ausstellung, Historisches Museum Baden, Schweiz, 24. August bis 17. Dezember 1995) Beluga-Verlag, ISBN 978-3-8953-5450-2
1990: Der Bund: Wild Style Paintings (February 21, 1990).
1989: Christoph Schuler: To Create a Real Wild Style… In: Fabrikzeitung.
1989: Peter Bürli: Coming-out in Farben und Tönen. In: Züri-Tip, Tages-Anzeiger.
1988: Anne Reich: Spray dich frei! Auf den Spuren der Graffiti-Kunst in Zürich. In: ZüriWoche.
1986: Neue Zürcher Nachrichten: Wild Writers arbeiten gegen ödes Mauerngrau (February 24, 1986)
1985: Neue Zürcher Zeitung: Nicht bewillgt, aber gerne geduldet (April 2, 1985)
1984: Marco Ferrari, Breakdance im alten kath. Kirchgemeinde-Saal St. Franziskus 1984.

Archives (selection)
• Library of Congress, USA
• Deutsche Nationalbibliothek, Germany
• Swiss National Library, Switzerland
• SIKART, the Swiss Institute for Art Research, Switzerland
• Discography at Discogs, USA

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