Swiss Museum’s Donation Grows as Unopened Portfolios Reveal Extra Works

The Musée des beaux-arts de La Chaux-de-Fonds in western Switzerland recently received a donation from Swiss collector Philippe Bodenmann. Initially, the museum believed the gift included 150 works. However, after examining unopened portfolios, staff discovered the collection actually contained 218 pieces. David Lemaire, the museum’s director, described this as a “pleasant surprise.”

The entire collection is being shown to the public for the first time in an exhibition titled "Voyages en zigzag: La collection de Philippe Bodenmann." This exhibition runs from 6 September 2026 until 3 January 2027. It brings together works from several significant art movements, including Anglo-American conceptual art, Zurich Concrete art, and the Swiss Neo-Geo scene.

Among the artists represented in the collection are Joseph Kosuth, Lawrence Weiner, Royden Rabinowitch, Olivier Mosset, Marcia Hafif, and Günther Förg. The collection is especially strong in British conceptual artists who use walking as an artistic practice, with notable works by Hamish Fulton and Richard Long.

The donation also strengthens the museum’s holdings of Zurich Concrete art, which is a historically important part of the institution’s identity. Several major paintings by Max Bill are included in the gift, further enriching this area of the museum’s collection.

A highlight of the collection is Joseph Kosuth’s "Intentio (project)," which Lemaire describes as a pivotal work in the artist’s career. According to Lemaire, this piece introduces changes in scale, the use of colour, and a more complex engagement with text compared to Kosuth’s earlier works.

Bodenmann placed no conditions on the donation. Lemaire considers this an act of great trust in the museum, noting that Bodenmann has known the institution for more than 40 years. The coherence of the collection was important to Bodenmann, who wanted it to be offered as a whole.

The collection also preserves the memory of exhibitions that have shaped the museum over four decades. It complements a previous donation by Olivier Mosset, differing in perspective by reflecting the viewpoint of a collector rather than an artist. The exhibition offers visitors the opportunity to see the entirety of Bodenmann’s collection together for the first time.