Shapping light

  02.03.2021 Arts & Culture

Himalaya, a sculpture by the world-famous artist Helidon Xhixha, is currently shining in Gstaad. Xhixha himself has fallen in love with the Saanenland.

Since December, an eight-metrehigh column made of stainless steel has been rising into the sky at Kapälliplatz. The matt, cuboid surface of Himalaya reveals a shiny interior that seems to have frozen in mid-flow and playfully reflects the sunlight. This is the hallmark par excellence of Helidon Xhixha’s art, who has created numerous works of art besides Himalaya and exhibits them all over the world. “I don’t shape materials,” he says, “I use materials to shape light,” the artist describes his work. Xhixha always aims to create a dialogue between his works and its surroundings.

In love with Gstaad
Xhixha is exhibiting in Gstaad for the second time. In 2017, he discovered this place for himself during a family holiday: “It was love at first sight. Gstaad – with such unique landscape, breathtaking and inspiring for every creative mind – is the perfect stage for my monumental artworks,” he says. He was particularly taken with the “breathtaking landscapes and picturesque views of the Alps”. He exhibited a total of nine artworks in Gstaad in 2019. Himalaya will be on display at Kapälliplatz until March.

BASED ON AVS/ NADINE HAGER


HELIDON XHIXHA

Helidon Xhixha is considered a leading figure in the contemporary art scene. The artist, originally from Albania, emigrated first to Italy and then to London for his training. Today he works alternately in Milan and Dubai. His works of art are even more international than he is, travelling not only to Europe but also to Latin America, the United States and the Middle East.


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