Migros Museum für Gegenwartskunst announces annual programme 2026

ZURICH.— Today’s world is shaped by overlapping global crises, social upheaval and political disruption. At the same time, growing societal fragmentation and isolation are intensified by rapid technological advancements and an economic system that fosters inequality. This raises pressing questions: how can we reimagine community in a radically changing world? How can we face the future with hope amidst these challenges? How can meaningful change take root?

In 2026, the Migros Museum für Gegenwartskunst will centre its programme on solidarity. As a place of connection, we are committed to fostering social cohesion. Our exhibitions will bring together perspectives that challenge polarisation and isolation, emphasise self-empowerment as a collective process and highlight networks of solidarity. In collaboration with our visitors, artists and cultural practitioners, the museum will explore how understanding can bridge social, cultural and linguistic divides and how art can cultivate a feeling of togetherness.

In spring, we will present the Disobedience Archive initiated by Marco Scotini. This dynamic, ever-evolving video archive serves as a collection of recipes for social transformation. Featuring approximately 40 films, it explores disobedience through artistic and activist strategies, illuminating diverse forms of resistance and collective solidarity. The exhibition, developed in collaboration with Raqs Media Collective, sparks reflection on social change and invites active dialogue amongst visitors.

In summer, a solo exhibition by French-Algerian artist Mohamed Bourouissa will focus on social cohesion. Bourouissa's work gives voice to those excluded from media, dominant historical, and artistic narratives. Through intimate diasporic stories, such as those of his Aunt Noubia, and fictional explorations of identity and representation, visitors will engage with diverse experiences of social belonging. In cooperation with Marta Herford, Museum for Art, Architecture, Design.

In autumn, two Swiss artists will engage in a compelling dialogue inspired by Sylvie Fleury’s work She-Devils on Wheels–Headquarters (1997) from the museum's collection. This powerful, emancipatory work confronts the exclusion of women from certain spheres of life. By founding her own feminist automobile club, Fleury asserts a bold statement of self-empowerment and independence.

Displayed for the first time in 20 years, the Fleury’s oeuvre will resonate with new works by Shamiran Istifan, who explores cultural codes in everyday life, feminist narratives passed down by women through generations, and questions of class and belonging. Together, their works create a vibrant conversation between feminist perspectives from the 1990s and today.

Also in autumn, a solo exhibition by Chilean artist Nicole L’Huillier will invite visitors to interact and immerse themselves in sound-based installations that come alive through direct participation. Following a discursive first half of the year, L'Huillier's exhibition explores intriguing questions: How can art generate resonance? How can we, as individuals, give without expecting in return? Her work creates a space where sound and body intertwine, offering visitors new experiences of togetherness.