Ricola Collection. The new guide to the corporate art collection.

The Ricola Collection is a collection of contemporary Swiss art that the family shareholders in the Ricola Group have been building since 1975. Aside from its connection to the family and company, our Collection is also particularly characterized by the manner in which the art is presented: the Ricola Collection is displayed all over the company’s premises.

Does art need an explanation? It often does. Certain knowledge is required to make modern art accessible. Without studying art history, the eyes often cannot see all there is to be seen. What applies to an individual work of art also applies to a collection. A collection is not an accumulation of art works or a “bunch of art.” It is a system of interrelated elements in which each one interacts with the others and in which all of the elements are connected through multiple levels of meaning. Together with Roman Kurzmeyer, the curator of our Collection, I have written a guide that presents individual works and artists, explains the central themes of our Collection and offers insight into its history. In the introduction, I describe my personal approach to art. The publication is intended to make the Collection more accessible to employees and visitors. Those who are interested can use the guide to prepare for a tour of the Collection and it can also serve as a souvenir of the visit. But knowledge alone is not enough! Personal interest and curiosity are the key to making art an experience. The guide will have fulfilled its objective if it makes as many readers as possible curious about contemporary art – and the Ricola Collection. (Lukas Richterich)

Art from Switzerland