21 November 2025, from 6 p.m.
DOGO: WORK IN PROGRESS
visiting visarte ost at project space “Auto” at its new location: Wassergasse 4, 9000 St. Gallen
The duos Lulu&Whiskey (CH) and Jana Joanna Milbou + Jonathan De Maeyer (BE), currently working at the Dogo Residency in Lichtensteig, are opening the St.Gallen project space ‘AUTO’. They provide insight into their artistic processes through sketches of ideas, collections of materials and research snippets. An invitation to engage in conversation and reflect together on this year's theme of the forest. The forest is at the heart of this year's residencies – it surrounds the Dogo Residency in Toggenburg and, with its omnipresent presence, offers the artists a common starting point and points of connection.
Jana Joanna Milbou and Jonathan De Meayer explore the roots of human disassociation from the environment by delving into ancient traditions and knowledge about rituals, healing and plants. Their practice embraces observation, walking, wild foraging, writing, photography and filmmaking, translating feelings such as fear, powerlessness and doubt into visual and performative expression.
The duo Lulu&Whiskey creates multi-voiced and morphing spaces – performative, digital, acoustic, and sculptural. They see themselves as equal co-authors with all entities involved in their works, which serve as frameworks for engaging with a ‘more-than-human’ philosophy. At the heart of their practice, they explore how humans, non-humans, and matter interact and live together.
And last but not least: physical well-being is also taken care of. Visitors are catered for with the now almost legendary, original vegan Dogo Hot Dogs.
Thur and Necker Trail
accessible at any time
with: Anna Maria Fink (AT), Lucie Tuma (CH) and Mirre Yayla Séur (NL)
The Dogo Residency for New Art was invited by Toggenburg Tourism to accompany the development of five semi-permanent, site-specific artworks along the rivers Thur and Necker. The works are part of a regional initiative that is redesigning an 80-kilometre-long walking trail under the guiding principle of mindfulness. Artists Anna Maria Fink (AT), Lucie Tuma (CH), marce norbert hörler (CH), Mirre Yayla Séur (NL) and Studio ERBA (AT/NL) were selected in a multi-stage process for various locations along the trail, including a power station, a river mouth and a waterfall. Three of the five works in progress will celebrate their vernissage on 27 September 2025, as part of the opening of the Thur and Necker Trail. The opening of the works by marce norbert hörler and Studio ERBA will take place in 2026.
The resulting works approach the respective locations using installation, performance and participatory methods. They reveal subtle interconnections and mutual dependencies between human and more-than-human actors – along geological, biological and cultural timelines. In doing so, they make the porous boundaries between self and environment tangible and offer walkers a new, unfamiliar access to the Toggenburg landscape through the lens of art.
The selected artists have been developing their work since February 2024 during recurring research and production stays in Toggenburg. This gives them the opportunity to engage intensively with the region and to contextualise their work. Production takes place in close collaboration with regional partners in Toggenburg and Eastern Switzerland. Particular attention is paid to the careful use of resources, minimal intervention in the environment and working with natural, changing materials.
Curation: Johannes Reisigl | Production: Hanes Sturzenegger | Production assistance: Maura Kressig, Sirkka Ammann | Curatorial consultation: Lisa Mazza (BAU – Institute for Contemporary Art and Ecology) | Curatorial and fundraising consultation: Ursula Badrutt Schoch
Supported by: Toggenburg Tourismus | Kanton St.Gallen Kulturförderung / Swisslos | Kultur Toggenburg | Lienhard Stiftung | Otto Gamma-Stiftung | Dr. Fred Styger Stiftung | Hans und Wilma Stutz Stiftung | H. und A. Baumberger-Germann Stiftung
Further information on the entire programme and schedule can be found on the Thur- und Neckerweg website.