Random Institute

Random Institute is a non-profit art institution based in Zurich, Switzerland that is devoted to researching new exhibition formats. Since 2007 they have produced over 70 exhibitions, events, publications and field research in Europe, Asia, North America, Africa and the Atlantic Ocean. New exhibition formats included works by established artists such as Richard Long, James Lee Byars, Cory Arcangel, Zilvinas Kempinas, Guido van der Werve, Bethan Huws, Carey Young, Federico Herrero, as well as many emerging artists.

History

Random Institute was founded in January 2007 by Sandino Scheidegger and Luca Müller.^[1][2][3] The organization's goal is to research new exhibition formats and support artistic initiatives that explores notions of exhibition-making as a form of artistic practice. For the same reason, the organization co-founded 2013 the contemporary art center Réunion in Zurich and Kunsthalle Tropical in Iceland, which has been the site of numerous expositions initiated by Random Institute. The Kunsthalle Tropical has been the focus point of seminars by the Zurich University of the Arts. Since March 2016 Random Institute is collaborating and programming the non-profit arts center Despacio in San José, Costa Rica. ^[4][5]

Financial Transparency

Furthermore, Random Institute is committed to promoting better financial transparency of not-for-profit arts organization; and for this reason, it began 2014 to publish all its financial transactions online (see external links).

Curatorial activities (Selection)

A non-exhaustive list of curatorial initiatives by Random Institute:

• All The Lights We Cannot See (2016) in Pyongyang, North Korea ^[6]
• Consider Yourself Invited (2015) at the Belluard Festival, Fribourg ^[7]
• One-Night Stand (2015) at the zurich moves! Festival by Tanzhaus Zurich.^[8]
• Don't Talk to Strangers (2014/15) took place in New York^[9] and Zurich ^[10][11] (co-curated with Nicola Ruffo)
• Things May Get Out of hand (2014) with Florence Jung in Paris. During the opening 11 visitors got kidnapped.^[12]
• James Lee Byars (2014) Solo show of James Lee Byars at Réunion, Zurich. (co-curated with Andreas Wagner) The exhibition takes up a legend of Byars' 1978 exhibition at the Kunsthalle Bern.

Publishing activities (Selection)

A non-exhaustive list of different books published by Random Institute:

• The Pyongyang Times; edited by Anna Hugo & Sandino Scheidegger, published by Mark Pezinger Verlag Press, 2016.
• Don’t Talk to Strangers; edited by Sandino Scheidegger & Nicola Ruffo, published by Kodoji Press, 2015. ISBN 978-3-03747-040-4
• Four Illustrated Stories; edited by Alejandro Cesarco & Christoph Schifferli, published by Random Institute and Kunstverein, Zurich 2015
• Without the Viewer; edited by Sandino Scheidegger, published by Distressed Securities & Books Ltd., Bermuda 2010
• Sometimes Attention Should Be Paid to the Absence of Everything; edited by Sandino Scheidegger & illustrated by Johanna Schaible, ISBN 978-3-03303-867-7

References

External links

• Random Institute Website (English)
• Financial Transparency Report (English)
• SVA Lecture (English)