«Condition d’usage» – Art Genève 2026

Art Genève is one of the most internationally established exhibitions of contemporary art. From 29 January to 1 February 2026, it will bring together around 80 international galleries as well as institutional and private collections at Palexpo Geneva.

For over ten years, teo jakob has shaped the design of Art Genève’s public spaces. For the 2026 edition, lounges, a restaurant and the Ruinart Lounge will be designed in collaboration with de Sede, Fritz Hansen, USM, Röthlisberger and Zoom by Mobimex. Elsa Puvilland’s spatial concept organises these areas into clearly defined, welcoming settings.

Meanwhile, teo jakob, in collaboration with the Teo Jakob Art Collection Foundation, is presenting the «Condition d»usage» exhibition at Stand B55, curated by Christian Herren and Daan Couzijn. What happens when a functional object changes its purpose and becomes an artistic commentary—or when an artwork aspires to be vivified or animated in everyday life? Under the title «Condition d’usage», teo jakob is presenting an exhibition at Stand B55 (Section I) that highlights the evolving interplay between art and design. The starting point is the idea of «poetic furniture», articulated by Dino Gavina 55 years ago with «Ultramobile»: objects designed by artists that blur the line between sculpture and furniture.

As a pioneer of modern living, teo jakob brought this approach to Switzerland early on – with works such as the «Traccia» table by Meret Oppenheim, supported by legs reminiscent of bird feet, the feline seating sculpture «Ron Ron» by Marion Baruch, or the «Les Grands Trans-Parents» mirror by Man Ray, an elliptical pane of silk-screened glass. These three works are part of the historic «Ultramobile» collection, can be seen in «Condition d’usage» and remain available from teo jakob to this day.

The booth is conceived as an enclosed space that evokes a residential interior and is composed almost exclusively of artwork. Objects, furniture, paintings and mirrors form an environment, in which use and meaning are continually renegotiated. Many works engage the visitor with a subtle sense of humour and consciously unsettling displacements: Jason Dodge designs shoes for someone with three feet, Maurizio Cattelan transforms a gravestone into a stool, Ai Weiwei turns a fly swatter into a gilded object that creates a tension between everyday gesture and symbolism.

Historical works such as Oppenheim’s table enter into dialogue with contemporary works by artists including Sylvie Fleury, Lorenza Longhi, Sarah Morris and Daniel Buren. The selection is further complemented by works from the current MAMCO Encore(s) exhibition by John M. Armleder, as well as by furniture from the teo jakob product selection that have been artistically modified, for example by Wade Guyton and Tal R.

Alongside works from the Teo Jakob Art Collection Foundation, the presentation brings together loans from private collections, institutions, galleries, and from «Parkett». The space is conceived as an interior that is itself a «Condition d’usage»: an open structure for diverse forms of appropriation and interpretation.

At Stand B54 (Section II), the conceptual premise of the exhibition is intensified. On display is the large-format drawing «Bike Saddle» (1975) by Alfred Hofkunst, originally created as a commission for the design of the shop window display at teo jakob Bern. As a defining figure in Swiss art since the 1970s, Hofkunst had already completed commissions for numerous shop windows and posters for the company from the 1960s onwards. In front of the drawing are several «Selle» stools, designed in 1957 by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni – a model that has been part of the teo jakob collection since the 1960s – and together they form a three-dimensional counterpart to the saddle motif. The juxtaposition of drawn representation and functional object reflects an attitude that has shaped teo jakob for decades: the close relationship between art and use.

Curators:             Christian Herren and Daan Couzijn
Illustrations:         Moritz Kammer
Graphic design:   Salzmann Gertsch

With heartfelt thanks to all lenders.

E.A.T. x Art Genève – Talk, 31 January 2026, 4:00 PM–5:00 PM

As part of Art Genève, an E.A.T. x Art Genève talk will take place on Saturday, 31 January 2026, from 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM. The panel features the artist Mai-Thu Perret, the author Théo Casciani, the editor Clément Dirié and the curator Christian Herren. At the centre is the question of how contemporary books come into being – among archival material, imagery, narrative form and editorial structure.

The starting point for the discussion is three new publications: the «E.A.T. Index» (JRP|Editions), which brings together conversations and statements from fifteen years of Engadine Art Talks, with contributions from over 200 international figures from art, architecture and science; «Grammar & Glamour» (JRP|Editions), the new monograph by Mai-Thu Perret; and «Insula» (P.O.L), the latest novel by Théo Casciani.

The talk can be intentionally co-ordinated with a visit to the art fair: teo jakob is designing the public spaces of Art Genève and, together with the Teo Jakob Art Collection Foundation, is presenting the «Condition d’usage» exhibition at Stand B55.

teo jakob has supported the Engadine Art Talks cultural initiative for several years with furnishings and also supports the programme in Geneva.