CONVERGING WATERS - KUMO, KAWA, KŌRI
8. - 26. September 2025
Converging Waters - Kumo, Kawa, Kōri
with AKI INOMATA & Marcel Rickli
Swissnex Exhibition Space, Osaka
Opening on 5 September, 6 pm
Conference at the Swiss Pavilion Expo 2025 on 7 September, 2 pm - 5 pm
Master Class at the Swissnex Exhibition Space on 9 September, 10 pm - 12 pm
Amid the accelerating climate crisis, Converging Waters – Kumo, Kawa, Kōri brings together works of Japanese artist AKI INOMATA and Swiss artist Marcel Rickli in their exploration of water’s many forms and the fragile systems through which it moves. The artists invite us to engage with some of the contradictions of our time: urgency and paralysis, knowledge and inaction, persisting beauty and irreversible loss. Their art asks us not only to witness the ongoing transformation of our planet with our intellect and our senses, but to reconsider our place within the cycles of the Earth. At the heart of both works lies a deep engagement with technology, not as a solution, but as a tool for reflection, interpretation and care.
Here, visitors will experience delicate clouds that capture the fragility of the atmosphere – as a small, poetic weather system on its own terms. And water turning into ice, evoking the interconnectedness of our planet’s water systems through an artistic gesture.
Though geographically distant, Japan and Switzerland share values and challenges. By bringing Inomata and Rickli together, we invite you to join us in our reflection of how we could feel, think and act together, across the borders of countries, cultures and disciplines.
The exhibition is curated and produced by Irène Hediger & Flurin Fischer, artists-in-labs program, Zurich University of the Arts.