Exhibition
Colors of (Colonial) Chemistry
Art works by
- Details
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Venues:
Gallery & Laboratory, Collegium Helveticum
Self-guided tour at ETH main building and ETH CABÂThis is a public exhibition. Participation is free of charge.
The artist-researcher Denise Bertschi presents her latest research at the Collegium Helveticum’s exhibition spaces. Her site-specific video and textile installation explores the intertwined histories of dye chemistry and photographic chemistry, situating them within ETH Zurich’s institutional narrative and its industrial and colonial entanglements during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Through material, architectural, and visual traces, Bertschi uncovers a complex web of connections between chemical substances, scientific knowledge, industrialization, and globalization.
This exhibition sheds light on an overlooked chapter in the early institutional history of ETH Zurich. Through the biographies of ETH chemistry professors Pompejus Bolley (1812–1870) and Robert Gnehm (1852–1926), artist-researcher Denise Bertschi explores the intertwined histories of dye chemistry and photographic chemistry at the Zurich Polytechnic.
Drawing on site-specific research in the immediate surroundings of the Collegium Helveticum, including the ETH Main Building (HG) and the historic chemistry building (ETH CAB), Bertschi employs archival investigations and aesthetic inquiry to make this history visible to the public.
Through the lens of material and visual culture—specifically the chemistry of dyewood and photographic processes—the exhibition traces the material culture of chemical research from Zurich’s urban landscape to its global entanglements with Brazil in the 19th century. In doing so, it reveals how the history of science is deeply interwoven with industrialization and the formation of Swiss national identity.
Laboratory
Video installation
The film Colors of (Colonial) Chemistry unfolds in chapters with an essayistic narrative, interweaving Denise Bertschi’s research in the ETH Zurich University Archives and the ETH Chemistry Collections with the historical architecture of ETH’s main building (HG) and the CAB building. Through this cinematic exploration, the film makes the historical traces of this overlooked chapter visible.
Gallery
Installation, with textile artworks and archival displays
This part of the exhibition presents a selection of artistic works and historical materials that illuminate the entangled histories of dye chemistry, colonial trade, and Swiss industrialization.
At the center of the installation is the textile artwork Colors of (Colonial) Chemistry, featuring hand-dyed cotton banners colored with Brasilin, an organic dye whose history traces back to the colonization of Brazil. ETH chemistry professors Pompejus Bolley and Robert Gnehm both published research on Brasilin. The textiles are pre-printed with batik patterns inspired by Gnehm’s work as a colorist in Glarus, a role he held before becoming a professor and a key figure in the rise of Swiss chemical companies CIBA and Sandoz.
ETH main building and CAB
Self guided tours
At designated locations within the ETH Main Building (HG) and ETH Chemistry Building (CAB), displays will be installed to provide contextual information, offering insights into the historical significance of the site. These displays will serve as informative markers, enhancing visitors’ understanding of the architectural and historical legacy of these ETH buildings.
The specific heritage sites where the displays will be placed will be announced shortly.
Plan your visit & book a tour
Opening hours
Mon–Fri, 12:30–16:30
Special opening hours during the Zurich Art Weekend:
June 13 (Fri): 10:00–21:00, with an opening event 18:00–21:00
June 14 & 15 (Sat & Sun): 10:00–18:00
Closed on public holidays
Ascension Day, May 29 (Thu)
Whit Monday, June 9 (Mon)
The artist-researcher Denise Bertschi is available for guided tours. School classes and groups of up to 10 people are welcome to contact her directly to arrange a visit.
For individual exhibition visits: Groups of 10 or more need to register in advance via email to the Events Office.
Visits outside the official opening hours (Tue–Fri) can also be arranged in advance. Please contact the Events Office for scheduling.
From July 6 to October 30, 2025, the exhibition will continue at the Kulturhaus Obere Stube of the Jakob and Emma Windler Foundation—presented as a second chapter with many additional works on display. The video installation at the Laboratory will be shown again at the Collegium on September 6, 2025, during the Zurich Long Night of Museums, offering another opportunity to engage with the themes and narratives of the exhibition.
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