"Actually," explained BDG president Heinz Brand following the AGM of Zückerli-Wispile AG, "I wanted to announce some positive news today." But things turned out differently. The plan was for the sculpture Mirage Gstaad, which attracted tourists from all over the world to the Saanenland for two years, to be built on the Wispile.

Among those involved in the approval process were the two cantonal councillors Evi Allemann and Christoph Neuhaus, the municipalities of Saanen and Lauenen, the BDG, the landowners, the tenant, the prefect Michael Teuscher, Helvetia Nostra and even the Swiss Ornithological Institute. Finally, the permit was granted for two years.

"We were delighted to have achieved our goal. Everyone made a big effort," Brand explained. A good a fortnight ago – on a Friday – construction work began on the foundation. On Sunday evening, the bad news followed: an email from Maja Hoffmann of the Luma Foundation. The artist, who holds the rights, had vetoed the project, saying the location was too touristic for his installation, too close to the mountain restaurant. That meant calling off the entire project. "But I won't give up that easily," Heinz Brand promised.

Based on AvS