the
perfect
stay

What makes a perfect stay at the Dolder Grand? To mark its 125th anniversary, the Dolder Grand has invited renowned international artists to interpret their stay in their very own artistic language. The result is a kaleidoscope of individual works that capture the essence of the Dolder Grand and take guests on a special journey to get to know the hotel. The Perfect Stay continues the Dolder Grand’s focus on and interest in art – as reflected in the art collection, which includes over 100 works from different eras.

Joe Clarke (*1992) is a British photographer based in London and Amsterdam, whose bold, yet poetic images explore themes of nostalgia, freedom and solitude. A photographic expedition to Iceland in 2017 formed the basis of his fascination with storytelling, capturing both the passage of time and the fragility of a fleeting moment. Spontaneity remains a key tenet of his practice today, and serves as his driving force. Drawing upon techniques such as creative framing, unconventional perspectives, soft focus, and slow shutter speeds in order to evoke dynamic movement, he also utilises reflections and rich textures and tones to create painting-like imagery that, at times, evokes the work of early colour pioneers. His portfolio has evolved over the years, moving seamlessly from landscape and still life to intimate portraiture, whilst remaining grounded in spontaneity and emotion.

Taiyo Onorato (*1979) studied photography at the Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK) and has been working together with Nico Krebs since 2003. Their artistic activities include photography, film and installations. Onorato uses the medium of photography to break with expectations and question what can be seen, that is to say: To what extent does a photograph depict our perception? And to what extent is it a purely technological construction? He collects material with an analogue photo and film camera on his travels and during his extensive research. His interests lie in the process itself and in cultivating an openness with regard to the result. This is also evident in his use of materials. He is constantly expanding his horizons and is involved in the sound and editing of video works.

Yvonne Wigger is a photographer, stylist and creative consultant based in Munich and Zurich. Alongside positions at renowned magazines such as Elle Germany and GQ Germany, she worked as a freelancer on various creative projects for clients in Germany, Switzerland and beyond before joining the fashion department of Vogue Germany. Working closely with Christiane Arp and Nicola Knels for five years, Yvonne realised numerous photo shoots around the world. As part of international teams, she worked on editorials with some of the industry’s most influential figures, including Karl Lagerfeld, Peter Lindbergh, Juergen Teller, and Daniel Jackson. As the manager for editorials starring models and celebrities such as Victoria Beckham, Stella Tennant, Naomi Campbell and Anna Ewers, she helped shape the visual direction of Vogue Germany. Yvonne typically takes an almost sculptural approach to fashion, allowing matter and form to speak, and exploring the relationship between seemingly contradictory objects, particularly in still life editorials.

Peter Langer (*1968) is a German photographer living and working in Berlin. A former gymnast who competed for the German national team, Langer turned to photography at the turn of the century, specialising in narrative still-life imagery. Peter’s photographs are characterised by his study of the object, focusing on the set of attributes that are integral to its visual identity. He seeks to create a punch line in the viewer’s mind that only the viewer can complete – each in their own way. Langer’s poetic still-lifes have been exhibited worldwide and he has published several books of photographs, including On-Line and Volume 1.

Yoan Mudry (*1990) is a multi-disciplinary artist, currently based in Geneva. He studied at Geneva University of Art and Design (HEAD) where he graduated with an MFA in 2014. His work focuses on an attempt to understand the mechanisms behind the flux of images, narrations and information that are surrounding our world. Within just a few years, Mudry has succeeded in creating an impressive spectrum of performances, installations and paintings. Although he works in a variety of genres, the Swiss artist quickly became known for his vivid, hyper-realistic paintings, whose visual language draws on today’s popular culture. In these paintings, he mixes references from high and mass culture, making free use of emojis and quotes from advertising, films or book titles, comics, or memes from the internet. The result is usually humorous, playful and technically sophisticated. But there is always a bite to Mudry’s quirky combinations of images and text, and his way of instrumentalising commercial marketing.

Anna Stüdeli (*1990) currently lives and works in Hamburg, where she completed her master’s degree in Fine Arts with Pia Stadtbäumer/Sam Durant at the University of Fine Arts Hamburg (HfbK) in 2021. Before that, she completed her undergraduate art studies at the Zurich University of the Arts in 2018. During her studies she spent time at the Royal College of Arts and Goldsmiths’ College in London and at the Valand Academy in Gothenburg. Stüdeli is interested in sculpture and the surface behaviour of soft materials such as latex, hair, animal skin, modelling clay or foam. Skin-like surfaces, that is to say membranes that separate the inside from the outside, and their vulnerability are also at the forefront of her current work, in which photography is sculpturally expanded in multiple layers. For her collages, she processes ultra-close-ups of advertising posters in urban spaces in analogue form in order to create new statements. The search for the reality behind the advertising messages proves to be a pixelated phenomenonon pasted-on advertising paper, applied to billboards and building facades covered in graffiti, stickers and scribbles. Stüdeli throws pop advertising aesthetics back onto the vulnerability of the surface, as if she herself wanted to tear down the boundary between illusion and reality.

Muriel Florence Rieben discovered her passion for photography in 2020. It’s her personal artistic language, as she doesn’t need words to convey the essential. It’s about capturing a unique moment and revealing the unexplained narrative within.
Rieben’s background as a dancer and her minimalist lifestyle shape her artistic vision. She strives to focus on the essence of her subjects, removing distractions and capturing raw emotion. Her photographic journey began with pictures of architecture and dancers at dance events. They reflect her dedication and enthusiasm for movement and symmetry. This combination inspires her to take a new and innovative look at sport, fashion and lifestyle, which she is constantly evolving. In a world overflowing with images, her work stands out for its stories of movement, emotion and human connection.

Maxime Ballesteros, born in Lyon and based in Berlin, is a photographer whose vivid images of raw reality evoke the works of Nan Goldin, Corinne Day, Larry Clark and Ryan McGinley. His portraits, still lifes and reportage photos are created from everyday actions and imbued with a new depth and raw immediacy thanks to his unique talent.
His images radiate intense tension and empathy, as well as a direct approach that stands out from glossy, polished photographs. Through his relationship with his subjects, he reveals their human qualities and weaknesses in a captivating manner that allows viewers to immerse themselves in something fleeting and intensely private.
Ballesteros has impressed with solo exhibitions in Bratislava, Berlin and Cologne and been featured in a wide range of publications. His works include a wide range of projects, including fashion design, graphic design and visual art. In addition to his creative projects, Ballesteros is also committed to promoting young talent and further developing the design sector.

Stefan Armbruster is a photographer with an impressive career in the world of fashion. Before his career as a photographer, he enjoyed international success as a model for renowned brands. After working in New York and Vienna, he decided to return to his home in the Black Forest.
Known for his ability to capture natural and authentic moments, Armbruster’s breakthrough came when he took over the Hugo Boss campaign from Peter Lindbergh. Today, he works for labels such as Jil Sander and magazines like Harper’s Bazaar. In recent years, he has increasingly produced his works in nature and often on analogue film. Despite the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic, he remained active, including with the “Bar & Kitchen” cookbook project and a photo series with Julia Nawalnaja, which opened up new potential for development. His return to the Black Forest gives him new inspiration and grounding due to the regional art scene and the proximity to Paris.

Reto Schmid is a Swiss photographer and filmmaker who has made a name for himself through his innovative approach to fashion photography. He graduated from the renowned ECAL in Lausanne, laying the foundation for his creative career.
Schmid’s work is characterised by a highly polished style and subtle humour. He likes to experiment with unusual perspectives and playfully distorts images to interpret fashion and human characters in an all-new way, while consciously challenging the traditional aesthetic. “I often try to incorporate elements you wouldn’t expect in a fashion shoot”, says Schmid.