“The Aargauer Kunsthaus is presenting the work of the young Swiss artist Julian Charrière (b. 1987). Like the early explorers, the artist is drawn to the most inhospitable regions of the world, such as the North Pole or a nuclear weapons test site. In his latest film projection he takes the audience along on his artistic expeditions into the most impressive icy landscapes on the planet. The film is echoed in selected photographs and sculptures. 

The exhibition Towards No Earthly Pole by Julian Charrière invites the viewer on a unique journey through the galleries in the museum. His latest film installation, Towards No Earthly Pole (2019) shows shimmering icebergs, gaping cracks in glaciers and surging polar seas. They appear abruptly out of the darkness before immediately being swallowed up by it again. In his film Charrière brings together various icy landscapes from our planet into a sensual and poetic cosmos. The space-filling, feature-film-length projection allows the audience to immerse itself in this fascinating, deserted region. The exhibition setting intensifies the meditative effect of the scenery: the room is plunged in darkness and the vibrant sound backdrop underlines the atmosphere of the film.” — Aargauer Kunsthaus

Julian Charrière, And Beneath It All Flows Liquid Fire, 2019. Video still. (copyright the artist; VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn, Germany

Julian Charrière, The Blue Fossil Entropic Stories I, 2013. (copyright the artist; VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn, Germany)

Julian Charrière, Not All Who Wander Are Lost, 2019. Installation view, Towards No Earthly Pole, 2019, MASI Lugano, Lugano, Switzerland. (copyright the artist; VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn, Germany). Photo by Jens Ziehe

Julian Charrière, The Purchase of the South Pole, 2017. Installation view, Towards No Earthly Pole, 2019, MASI Lugano, Lugano, Switzerland. (copyright the artist; VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn, Germany). Photo by Jens Ziehe

Julian Charrière, Thickens, pools, flows, rushes, slows, 2020. Installa+on View, Thickens, pools, flows, rushes, slows, Sies + Höke, Düsseldorf, Germany. (copyright the artist; VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn, Germany). Photo by Achim Kukulies

Julian Charrière, Towards No Earthly Pole – Vostok, 2019. (copyright the artist; VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn, Germany)

Julian Charrière, Flathead – First Light, 2016. (copyright the artist; VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn, Germany)

Julian Charrière, Towards No Earthly Pole – Concordia, 2019. (copyright the artist; VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn, Germany)

Julian Charrière, Towards No Earthly Pole – Horseshoe, 2019. (copyright the artist; VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn, Germany)

Julian Charrière, Towards No Earthly Pole – Totten, 2019. (copyright the artist; VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn, Germany)

The exhibition, initiated by the former Director of the Aargauer Kunsthaus Madeleine Schuppli, is organised in collaboration with MASI (Museo d’arte della Svizzera italiana), Lugano. In 2021 Towards No Earthly Pole will be shown at the Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas, Texas.

Curator: Katrin Weilenmann, Guest Curator. Assistant Curator: Bettina Mühlebach, Research Assistant, Aargauer Kunsthaus. 

 Images courtesy Aargauer Kunsthaus, Aarau, Switzerland.