Vanessà Heer (CH/IT)
b. 1989, St.Gallen
lives and works in Zurich & Trogen (AR)
is a Swiss-born and Zurich based interdisciplinary artist. Her practice unfolds around live performances and installations. In different contexts, collaborations and spaces she explores the political and ethical possibilities of conscious listening and how it can be used as a feminist, decolonial and sustainable tool. In both her performative and her installative works, she constantly oriented towards questions of commonality, collaboration, the dissolving authorship, and the challenges of self-precarization. Her immersive sonic interventions are grounded in questions such as the relationship between individual perception and collective dynamics or the investigation of listening expectations and their societal roots.
In 2018, she completed her Master of Fine Arts at the Zurich University of the Arts. From 2016 to 2020 she was as co-founder a member of Raum*Station, a project space for discursive and performative art. She is active in various collectives, such as the artist performance collective “nSchuppel,” the artist collective “AMBRA,” the “Hospiz der Faulheit” (Hospice of Laziness), and the sound collective “WARM.”
Her works have been shown in numerous exhibitions both in Switzerland and abroad, including Kunst Halle Sankt Gallen, Kunstmuseum St. Gallen, Helmhaus Zurich, Gessnerallee Zurich, Klingental Exhibition Space Basel, Fundaziun Nairs Scuol, Berlin Art Week, Marrakech Biennale in Marrakech, Detroit Contemporary in Detroit, and Parque de la Memoria in Buenos Aires. In 2019, she was nominated for the Kiefer Hablitzel Prize and in 2021 for the City of Zurich's work grants. In 2021, she participated in Pro Helvetia's Artist in Residence program in Berlin. In 2022, she received a grant from the UBS Cultural Foundation, a project grant from the BAK Cultural Fund, and a research grant from Pro Helvetia. In 2024, she was awarded a residential and studio scholarship by the Schlesinger Foundation in Wald AR and won the work grant from the Ausserrhoden Cultural Foundation and the «Perform!» grant from Pro Helvetia for “nSchuppel.” In 2026, she will be awarded a sponsorship prize from the St. Gallen Cultural Foundation.
2015-2018 MA Master of Arts in Fine Arts Zurich University of the Arts, CH
2016/2017 Exchange Semester, Master of Arts in Critical Studies
Academy of Fine Arts Vienna, AT
2010-2013 BA Bachelor of Arts in Media & Art, Specialization Theory
Zurich University of the Arts, CH
2012 Exchange Semester, Bachelor of Arts in Gender Studies
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, DE
Selected Solo*, Group Exhibitions & Performative Projects:
2026 BEX ARTS. (upcoming)
2026 Group Show. Kunsthalle Luzern (upcoming)
2026 Artist‘s Choice. Literaturhaus St.Gallen / Wyborada. St.Gallen CH. (upcoming)
25/26 Tradition, Rituale, Drag und Konservatismus. AUTO / Visarte Ost St.Gallen CH.
2025 Kissing in my Subaru. Stadtgalerie Bern CH.
2025 Klang Moor Schopfe 2025. Biennales Festival für audiovisuelle Kunst im Hochmoor Gais CH.
2025 Translocal Performance Art Giswil 2025. Performance w/nSchuppel. Giswil CH.
2025 LG NATUR #5: Katrin Keller „O“. Soundperformance. tilde space Chur CH.
2025 Festa Snacchetti. Listening. Palais Bleu Trogen (AR) CH.
2025 MIGMA Performance Festival 2025. Performance w/nSchuppel. Kriens CH.
2025 BABYTONE #2. Performance w/nSchuppel. Braui Zürich CH.
2025 Love is Love. Performance w/nSchuppel. KaBar Kaserne Basel CH.
2025 Chiasso Means Noise 2025. Festival di musica elettronica e sperimentale. Chiasso CH.
2025 Group Show. Bella Zürich CH.
2024 HEIMSPIEL 2024. Uncanny Unchained: The Power of Weird. Kunst Halle Sankt Gallen CH.
2024 HEIMSPIEL 2024. LA RESERVOIR. Kunstmuseum St.Gallen CH.
2024 MENTAL DOOR 2024. Performance w/Caroline Ann Baur. KASKO / RADIO X. Basel CH.
2024 Housewarming. Performance w/nSchuppel. Stadtgalerie Bern CH.
2024 Susurrus. Audiovisuelle Performance. w/Hannah Gottschalk. Mühlenenschlucht St.Gallen CH.
2024 Vo Schand und Schuppel. Solo Ausstellung. Kunsthalle Wil. Wil CH.*
2024 Stubete Hops de Moos. Soundperformances w/nSchuppel, Elias Menzi, Angi Nend, Kevin Aeschbacher. Birli Schlesinger Stiftung Wald (AR) CH.
2024 Gefallene Engel. Hiltibold. St.Gallen CH.
2023 The sun darkened at the fifth hour of the day. BRAUTONE Festival. Listening w/Caroline Ann Baur. Brauerei Zürich CH.
2023 Train Dialogue. INTRA LOGGIA. Soundperformance w/Vanessa Bosch. Giesshübel Zürich CH.
2023 ‘nSchuppel. WOFF WOFF Festival. Performance w/‘nSchuppel. Provitreff Zürich CH.
2023 Eine Giraffe, die auf einem Scherbenhaufen grast. Kunstraum Limbo, Kino Riffraff. Zürich CH.*
2023 Licking Wounds in the shade of an old tree and looking good while doing it. Residency Sharing Beirut/Berlin. Sonic Fiction w/Caroline Ann Baur. Ausserrhodische Kulturstiftung CH.
2023 Fragile Tracks. Claudia Kübler. Soundperformance w/Caroline Ann Baur. Kunstmuseum Luzern CH.
2022 Along Liquid Purrs. SONIC MATTER Festival. Kunstraum Walcheturm Zürich CH.
2022 Soundtrack of the Entlebuch. Anthropos_Ex Public Event (collective listening) UNESCO Biosphere Entlebuch CH.
2022 Sonic Tapestries. El Caldo. Gessnerallee. Zürich CH.
2022 OTO SOUND MUSEUM. Oto Museum, curated by Zaira Oram IT.*
2021 Broken Lights. Philip Frowein. Soundperformance w/CAB. Ahoi Luzern CH.
2021 Salon Beirut. Rooftop Soundperformances w/Caroline Ann Baur, Paed Conca, Nadia Daou/NÂR, Omar Itani, Aya Metwalli, Ziad Moukarzel. Beirut LEBANON.
2021 Always Calling Home: The Archipelago Series by Vanessa Lorenzo – INTERFACING NEW HEAVENS. (contribution) Javett Art Centre UP Pretoria SOUTH AFRICA.
2021 Now There was Here. Max Frisch Bad/JETZT KUNST N°10. Freibad Letzigraben Zürich CH.
2021 Sonic Aggregator by Soundtrackcity. (collaboration) Berlin Art Week DE.
2021 Long Journey Short. WallStreet Fribourg CH.
2021 B2B MIX by vAv4_$An + CAB. ABA AIR SALON. CoLaboRadio Berlin DE.
2021 Werkstipendienausstellung Stadt Zürich. Helmhaus. Zürich CH.
2021 Water Bodies. Listening Session w/AMBRA. Mayday. Basel CH.
2021 It is not the End of the World. Listening Session w/AMBRA. Fundaziun Nairs CH.
2021 F+F Diplomausstellung 50 Jahre F+F. Listening Session w/Na-aH. Kunsthalle Zürich CH.
2021 Echo Chamber. Haus der Statistik. Berlin DE.
2021 Walpurgisnacht – Listening Session w/AMBRA. Dunant Plaza. Heiden CH.
2021 Notes on Hideouts. Performance - Radio contribution. Tsonami Festival CHILE.
2021 WO WIR. Kunst Halle Sankt Gallen. St.Gallen CH.
20/21 Other Planes of There. Gessnerallee. Zurich CH.
2020 All the Feels! Uni Offspace. Zurich CH.
2020 Spinewave. Public Voices! w/AMBRA, Pro Helvetia/COINCIDENCIA. Buenos Aires ARGENTINA.
2020 Ohne Titel. Hospiz der Faulheit, kunstkasten. Winterthur CH.*
2020 PlusX w/WARM, Cashmere Radio. Berlin DE.
2019 Under Pressures. Compositions & Sound Design, Gessnerallee. Zurich CH.
2019 abhängig? Who Cares? Hospiz der Faulheit, Vögele Kultur Zentrum. Pfäffikon CH.
2019 It‘s a relief to hear the rain (...). Reaktor. Zurich CH.*
2019 Intimacy – Make Kin. Raum°Station. Zurich CH.
2019 Within Others‘ Sounds. Ausstellungsraum Klingental / RANK. Basel CH.
2019 Drone Consultation as Transverberation. Kiefer Hablitzel 2019, Swiss Art Awards, ArtBasel CH.
2019 deep sunday listenings. Snail Music, Raum°Station. Zurich CH.
2018 passing & packaging. Art Container. Zurich CH.*
2018 MA Fine Arts Degree Show 2018. Raum*Station + ZHdK, Toni-Areal. Zurich CH.
2018 Muko & Matratzen. Hospiz der Faulheit, Kulturstiftung Thurgau. Steckborn CH.
2018 Existenzialistisches Café: Schleim, Kapitalismus und andere Monstrositäten. Nextex. St.Gallen CH.
2018 Francis & Co. Hexen in Luzern. Pavillon Tribschenhorn. Luzern CH.
2017 MA Fine Arts Degree Show 2017. Snail Music, ZHdK, Toni-Areal. Zurich CH.
2017 feminarien. Raum*Station. Zurich CH.
2017 Fabulations. Shedhalle + Projektraum ZHdK, Toni-Areal. Zurich CH.
2016 Xeno at the Barbershop. MAM Maroc Artist Meeting, Marrakech Biennale 2016. Marrakech MOROCCO.
2016 Hammam Singing – Appenzeller Zäuerli. Marrakech Biennale 2016. Marrakech MOROCCO.
2016 Die Autonomie der Migration und ihre möglichen Narrative. Raum*Station. Zurich CH.
2016 DADA Hackathon: Wir scheissen in neuen Farben. Hospiz der Faulheit, Cabaret Voltaire. Zurich CH.
2015 ARCHIVHANDELN / Springerin Magazin. Kunstraum ZHdK, Toni-Areal. Zurich CH.
2015 VOLUMES 2015. Hospiz der Faulheit, Kunstraum Walcheturm. Zurich CH.
2015 Aus dem OFF #2. Hospiz der Faulheit, OXYD. Winterthur CH.
2015 AIR performance: no.02_ready to hang (out). Detroit Contemporary. Detroit USA.
2015 BFF Art 2015: no.01_silent riots of vulnerability. UFO Factory. Detroit USA.
2015 Trage die Welt wie eine Trainerhose. Hospiz der Faulheit, Kabinett der Visionäre. Chur CH.
2015 Doing Nothing Festival: Otium Manifesto. Hospiz der Faulheit, Dock18 Rote Fabrik. Zurich CH.
2015 Come North, Baby. Track 1. Hospiz der Faulheit, Gessnerallee Nordflügel. Zurich CH.
2013 Rhizomatische Noise Oper Vol.2. Nextex. St.Gallen CH.
2013 Rhizomatische Noise Oper Vol.1. Perla-Mode. Zurich CH.
2013 DIPLOMAUSSTELLUNG 2013, BA Art & Media. ZHdK, Pfingstweid-Studios. Zurich CH.
2013 Working Persistence. Import|Export, Galerie 201, ZHdK. Zurich CH.
Grants / Residencies / Awards:
2026 Förderpreis 2026, St.Gallische Kulturstiftung
2025 Förderbeitrag Perform! mit «nSchuppel», Pro Helvetia
2024 Werkbeitrag Ausserrhodische Kulturstiftung AR
2024 Projektbeitrag Ausstellung «Vo Schand und Schuppel», Kanton Zürich
2024/2025 Wohnstipendium, Atelierhaus «Birli», Schlesinger Stiftung AR
2022/2023 Residency Program, Bibliothek Andreas Züst/Alpenhof AI
2022 Werkbeitrag/Recherchebeitrag «Scherenschnitt in die erste Helligkeit», Pro Helvetia
2022 Förderpreis 2022, Fachstelle Kultur Stadt Wil
2022 Werkbeitrag Kanton St.Gallen, Amt für Kultur Kanton St.Gallen
2022 Förderbeitrag Bildende Kunst, UBS Kulturstiftung
2022 Covid-Arbeitsstipendium 2022, Stadt Zürich
2021 Projektbeitrag «Scherenschnitt in die erste Helligkeit», BAK Stiftung Kulturfonds - Pro Arte/Gleyre
2021 City of Zurich Grants (nomination)
2021 Arbeitsstipendium Covid-19, Stadt Zürich
2021 Projektbeitrag «Other Planes of There», Pro Helvetia
2021 Residency ABA Berlin DE, Pro Helvetia
2019 Projektbeitrag «Intimacy», Gubler-Hablützel Stiftung
2019 Kiefer Hablitzel Göhner Kunstpreis, Swiss Art Awards (nomination)
2018 ZHdK-Avina Fonds
2016 Residency MAM Marrakesh, Marrakesh Biennale MOROCCO
2015 Residency Institute for Contemporary Art Detroit, Detroit USA
2012 Residency Scholarship in Berlin DE
Ongoing curational Projects & Groups:
seit 2022 nSchuppel Founder, Artist Performance Collective, ZH / AR CH.
seit 2019 AMBRA Artist Collective, Zurich CH.
seit 2019 WARM Sound Collective, Zurich CH / Berlin DE.
2016-2020 Raum*Station Offspace, Wiedikon Zurich CH.
seit 2016 Madame Psychosis Publishing Platform, Zurich / Berne CH.
2015-2020 Hospiz der Faulheit Artist Collective, Zurich CH.
Publications:
2025 DIE ZEIT Fotoreportage „ Alles ausser Zürich“
2024 Kunstbulletin 10/2024. by Kristin Schmidt
2024 Basta Now. women, trans & non-binary in experimental music. by Fanny Chiarello
2020 Simulacrum. Journal for contemporary art and culture, Amsterdam
2019 Release PTTH:// Publikation + Vinyl. Francis & Co. by PTTH://
2019 Vinyl Edition. Within Others‘ Sounds. by Stingray Editions
2019 Art, Self & System. Edited by Donatella Bernardi, Sternberg Press, Berlin
2019 Bildpunkt. Sicherheitsdispositiv. Essay by Michael Grieder, Heft Frühjahr Nr. 49
2018 Art & Crisis. A Polyphonic Research on the Contemporary. Edited by Donatella Bernardi, JRP|Ringier, Zurich
2017 Maurizio Lazzarato: Marcel Duchamp und die Verweigerung der Arbeit. Translation, transversal texts, Vienna
2017 Hexenkesselkilbi mit viel Crazy. Saiten Kulturmagazin
2016 Europe’s Other. 53 Wunden in Solidarität und Verantwortung Aneignung und „Hostipitalität“ in der Aussage „Wir Flüchtlinge“. by Suzana Milevska, Springerin | Hefte für Gegenwartskunst, Heft 4/2016
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