«The Red Herring» at Cabaret Voltaire
Group Show, November 9, 2024 until June 29, 2025
Artists
Camille Lütjens, Carlo Travaglia, Elena Barmpa, Ice Wong Kei Suet, Laura Nan, Stéphane Nabil Petitmermet
Institution
Location
Download
The Red Herring at Cabaret Voltaire
Six artists lay down trails in the Artists’ Bar at Cabaret Voltaire, leading in various directions. The exhibition “The Red Herring” named after the English expression for a false or misleading clue, plays not only with distraction but also with ambiguity and the expectations we place on contemporary art and the historical birthplace of Dada. This site is visited daily by tourists, the art scene, and random passersby – some hoping to discover treasures from the last century, despite the space undergoing modifications over time. The artists’ traces deliberately steer away from straightforward interpretations but always lead back to Dada, to the history of the site, to their own artistic practices, and to the concepts linked with the idea of an art tavern. The Cabaret Voltaire was founded in 1916 on the upper floor, known as Holländerstübli of the Dutch Dairy, a meeting spot where beer and wine were served and where the old sailor Jan Ephraim occasionally offered fish. The Dadaists opened the Cabaret Voltaire during the First World War, initially as the “Künstlerkneipe Voltaire” – artists’ tavern Voltaire –, as a space for artistic and intellectual exchange. The exhibition background recalls the atmosphere of this same venue, as seen in a 1940 photograph. Today’s Artists’ Bar embraces these references and expands them with contemporary practices and questions. Camille Lütjens explores the complex interplay between authenticity and deception, as well as legacy and expectation, in her series Spam Junk Dialog and the work Bar Sign (Kunst Kneipe Voltair). Carlo Travaglia combines his exploration of Christian themes and spirituality in Rito decimo (Alexander Immanuel) while highlighting the lesser-known religious side of Hugo Ball, co-founder of the Cabaret Voltaire. Elena Barmpa’s works operate as an interplay of language, materiality, aesthetics, and space. Ice Wong Kei Suet explores various traces within the Cabaret Voltaire through her conceptual work Condition Check on “The Red Herring”. Laura Nan reflects on her shared Romanian heritage with the Dadaists Tristan Tzara and the Janco brothers in her work Granny Isn’t Dead, Granny’s Just Transforming. Stéphane Nabil Petitmermet references the historical “Dada Hair Tonic” advertisement by the Bergmann & Co. company in his painting Grapevine. The exhibition showcases a diverse range of artistic practices that engage with the history and spirit of Dada while offering contemporary interpretations and reflections. Each artist brings a unique perspective and approach to the space, creating a dialogue between past and present, tradition and innovation. The works and inscriptions will remain until the summer of 2025, inviting visitors to explore the layers of meaning and significance embedded in the Artists’ Bar at Cabaret Voltaire.
Exhibition View Group Show «The Red Herring» at Cabaret Voltaire Artists’ Bar, Zurich, 2025 / Photo: Philipp Hänger / Courtesy: the artists and Cabaret Voltaire
Exhibition View Group Show «The Red Herring; view on Camille Lütjens, Bar Sign (Kunst Kneipe Voltaire), 2024» at Cabaret Voltaire Artists’ Bar, Zurich, 2025 / Photo: Philipp Hänger / Courtesy: the artists and Cabaret Voltaire
Exhibition View Group Show «The Red Herring» at Cabaret Voltaire Artists’ Bar, Zurich, 2025 / Photo: Philipp Hänger / Courtesy: the artists and Cabaret Voltaire
Exhibition View Group Show «The Red Herring; view on Carlo Travaglia, Rito decimo (Alexander Immanuel) and Collective work, Bathroom poetry (detail), 2024» at Cabaret Voltaire Artists’ Bar, Zurich, 2025 / Photo: Philipp Hänger / Courtesy: the artists and Cabaret Voltaire
Exhibition View Group Show «The Red Herring; view on Laura Nan, Granny Isn’t Dead, Granny’s just transforming, 2024 and Collective work, Bathroom poetry (detail), 2024» at Cabaret Voltaire Artists’ Bar, Zurich, 2025 / Photo: Philipp Hänger / Courtesy: the artists and Cabaret Voltaire
Exhibition View Group Show «The Red Herring; view on Laura Nan, Granny Isn’t Dead, Granny’s just transforming (detail), 2024» at Cabaret Voltaire Artists’ Bar, Zurich, 2025 / Photo: Philipp Hänger / Courtesy: the artists and Cabaret Voltaire
Exhibition View Group Show «The Red Herring; view on Collective work, Bathroom poetry (detail), 2024» at Cabaret Voltaire Artists’ Bar, Zurich, 2025 / Photo: Philipp Hänger / Courtesy: the artists and Cabaret Voltaire
Exhibition View Group Show «The Red Herring; view on Camille Lütjens, Spam Junk Dialog (multiples) (detail), 2024» at Cabaret Voltaire Artists’ Bar, Zurich, 2025 / Photo: Philipp Hänger / Courtesy: the artists and Cabaret Voltaire
Exhibition View Group Show «The Red Herring; view on Camille Lütjens, Spam Junk Dialog (multiples) (detail), 2024» at Cabaret Voltaire Artists’ Bar, Zurich, 2025 / Photo: Philipp Hänger / Courtesy: the artists and Cabaret Voltaire
Exhibition View Group Show «The Red Herring; view on Elena Barmpa, Untitled (from the Fortune-telling series) (detail), 2024» at Cabaret Voltaire Artists’ Bar, Zurich, 2025 / Photo: Philipp Hänger / Courtesy: the artists and Cabaret Voltaire
Exhibition View Group Show «The Red Herring; view on Stéphane Nabil Petitmermet, Grapevine (detail), 2024» at Cabaret Voltaire Artists’ Bar, Zurich, 2025 / Photo: Philipp Hänger / Courtesy: the artists and Cabaret Voltaire
Exhibition View Group Show «The Red Herring; view on Elena Barmpa, Triple gaze (detail), 2024» at Cabaret Voltaire Artists’ Bar, Zurich, 2025 / Photo: Philipp Hänger / Courtesy: the artists and Cabaret Voltaire
Exhibition View Group Show «The Red Herring; view on Ice Wong Kei Suet, Condition Check on «The Red Herring» at Cabaret Voltaire Artists’ Bar, Zurich, 2025 / Photo: Philipp Hänger / Courtesy: the artists and Cabaret Voltaire
