The Swiss Embassy in the United States, in partnership with gallerist Dr. Andrew Ritcheson of Colloquia Art and Swiss artist Christian Vonarburg, hosted an evening dedicated to contemporary Swiss artistic practice and the structural thinking behind abstraction.
Vonarburg’s practice combines rigorous geometry with controlled variations of color and pattern. His works emerge from structured systems, grids derived from divided polygons, through which color propagates, producing forms that feel both precise and dynamic. Influenced by Swiss traditions of technical precision as well as geometric motifs from different cultures, his work reflects an intersection of artistic intuition, computational thinking, and material discipline. Ritcheson framed the exhibition within a broader international conversation highlighting how contemporary artists increasingly operate within a global dialogue that crosses borders and traditions.
Centered on Vonarburg’s exhibition “Strata,” the event explored systems-based abstraction, geometry, and material precision. Through a moderated conversation between Vonarburg and Ritcheson, guests were invited to consider how ideas such as geological time, accumulation, and transformation can be translated into visual form. In his remarks, Ambassador Ralf Heckner reflected on how the exhibition resonates with a broader Swiss approach: “progress built patiently, layer by layer.” Just as “Strata” translates geological time into structured visual forms, Switzerland’s engagement with the U.S. develops through long-term collaboration in investment, innovation, peace, and cultural exchange.
The discussion was followed by a Q&A and cocktail reception, offering attendees the opportunity to engage directly with the artist and the ideas behind his work. By bringing together voices from art, academia, diplomacy, and business, the evening created space for dialogue across disciplines.
We had the chance to ask Christian Vonarburg and Dr. Andrew Ritcheson a few questions before the event:
Could you walk us through your process of creating a work?
Christian Vonarburg: “My process starts with a polygon. I divide it and reconstruct it with primary shapes, creating a pattern organized into a grid. The grid becomes the structure through which color propagates. Controlled random methods allow variation, but the integrity of the structure is always preserved. Ultimately, the goal is the search for shapes.”
Do you think of specific landscapes when creating works for “Strata?”
Christian Vonarburg: “Not directly. My work focuses primarily on form. Once the work is finished, I look at it as a spectator. That’s when Strata appears – it functions almost like a Rorschach test, where meaning emerges afterward.”
What do you want people to feel when they see your art?
Christian Vonarburg: “I would like them to use my work to get to know themselves better.”
What drew you to Vonarburg’s work?
Dr. Andrew Ritcheson: “He builds rigorous visual systems that allow ideas like accumulation, geological time, and structure to emerge through form rather than illustration. The work rewards sustained attention.”
What should audiences pay attention to when viewing the works?
Dr. Andrew Ritcheson: “At first the works appear very structured, almost architectural. But if you slow down your looking, the surface begins to vibrate. The more time you spend with it, the more the internal movement of the image reveals itself.”
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