The exhibition Strangers & Lovers at Galerie Francesca Pia brings together works by Markus Raetz (1941–2020), some of which have a long exhibition history while others are being shown publicly for the first time from the artist’s estate. The show at Galerie Francesca Pia (May 9 – July 5, 2025) showcases his innovative exploration of visual perception through sculptures, drawings, prints, and mobiles spanning 1966 to 2008. Alongside geometric forms, the human figure predominates.
A self-taught artist, Raetz developed a highly distinctive body of work. Initially influenced by concrete art, Op Art, and Pop Art—and shaped by the vibrant Bernese art scene of the time—he gradually embraced conceptual approaches before developing, from the late 1970s onward, a uniquely sculptural practice that merged keen observation, deep knowledge, and a generous dose of humor. At the same time, he continued to draw obsessively and began producing prints during his stay in Amsterdam (1969–1973).
Markus Raetz: Strangers & Lovers / Galerie Francesca Pia, Zürich. Zürich (Switzerland), June 13, 2025.
Markus Raetz (1941-2020) was a Swiss painter, sculptor, and photographer. Raetz grew up in Büren an der Aare in an art-loving home. Even as a schoolboy, he assisted a local artist during his holidays. From 1957 to 1961, he attended the state teacher training college in Münchenbuchsee and Bern, then taught as a primary school teacher in Brügg near Biel. From 1963, he was a freelance artist. He lived in Bern from 1963 to 1969, where he had contact with Harald Szeemann, the director of the Kunsthalle Bern, and his assistant Jean-Christophe Ammann. From 1969 to 1973, he lived and worked in Amsterdam, and from 1973 to 1976 in Carona in the canton of Ticino. In 1977, he returned to Bern.
Raetz was one of Switzerland's most renowned contemporary artists. Early in his artistic career, he participated in documenta 4 in 1968 and documenta 5 in 1972, and in 1969, he was represented in Harald Szeemann's legendary exhibition "When Attitudes Become Form" at the Kunsthalle Bern. In 2004, Raetz was awarded the Gerhard Altenbourg Prize and in 2006 the Prix Meret Oppenheim.
Raetz explored the phenomena of perception in his works, which he executed in a wide variety of materials and media. His focus was not on what was depicted, but on the manner of reception. He encouraged the viewer to interact, as many of the artist's works can only be understood through the viewer's movement in front of the work.
