On 30 October, the Stapferhaus near Lenzburg railway station opens its new exhibition “Nature. And us?” and invites you to a poetic excursion indoors. The exhibition starts from the critical state of nature and leads to a new view of it. It invites us to discover our own relationship to nature and to have a say in where the journey should go. We love, revere and protect nature, we explore, conquer and sell it – and are increasingly concerned about its condition. But what is nature? Who does it belong to? And do we need to save it?
Picture from the exhibition; © Stapferhaus/Anita Affentranger
These days we are arguing a lot and vehemently about the right way to deal with nature. About whether the protection of nature or the well-being and security of supply of human beings come first, and about what our treatment of nature means for the generations to come. The current Stapferhaus exhibition questions the ground on which these debates unfold: the relationship between man and nature and the position of man in the world. The conviction that man is superior to stones, plants and animals shapes our thinking. “Nature. And us?” tells us where these ideas come from and invites us to broaden our own perspective: What if we could perceive the world from the perspective of a fox or a mushroom? What if we could see all the tiny microbes in and on us that make our lives possible? What if nature had more rights? And what if nature is something completely different than previously assumed?
Picture from the exhibition; © Stapferhaus/Anita Affentranger
Visitors are immersed from head to toe in poetic, playful worlds and explore new perspectives on nature. They are invited to take a stand and realign their own compass. In this way, the audience ultimately becomes part of a debate in which it is negotiated what is to be done: Must we save nature and if so, by what means? With sophisticated technology, more research or a different relationship to the world? The exhibition does not provide one answer. It encourages us to think about the decisive question of our time. And to feel the sand between our toes and explore the ground on which we all stand.
Practical information
Picture from the exhibition; © Stapferhaus/Anita Affentranger
The exhibition “Nature and Us?” will run from 30 October 2022 to 29 October 2023 in the Stapferhaus in Lenzburg.
It is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and until 8 p.m. on Thursdays.
The Stapferhaus recommends that you make a reservation when visiting – otherwise you can expect longer waiting times, especially at weekends.
Reservations can be made up to the evening before a visit. The tour is not limited in time; as a rule it lasts between 2 and 3 hours.
About the Stapferhaus
Picture from the exhibition; © Stapferhaus/Anita Affentranger
The Stapferhaus looks back on a history of 60 years. The house is organised as a foundation and can count on the support of generous partners. It deals with the big questions of the present: what shapes our lives, occupies the country and moves the world. The focus is on exhibitions that invite people to critically examine the relevant questions of our time in an entertaining way and promote dialogue. In 2021, the Stapferhaus was awarded the “European Museum of the Year Award 2020”.
