I work with various distinctive individuals over a long period of time, whose personal stories can be mixed with narrative ones.
I construct a multi-disciplinary narration of my own. Whether it is a bodybuilder/scientist for Strike a Pose; a nurse and an oyster farmer for M E R S E A (a Cyborg Story) Filira; the choice of people I work with always comes from an instinctive desire to get to know them.
Engaging myself is necessary to facilitate visible results. Long-term basis with people that don’t participate in the art world, I am confronted with new ways of looking at things. It’s a real challenge to find a way to work with them, communicate with them, and build mutual trust.
In my practice, these different people will eventually be transformed into characters in the universe that I create for them.
My starting point is their stories and small personal facts. I can be triggered for instance by how they run on a treadmill at the gym, or the sex life of an oyster, or even how a person prepares their greek coffee by drawing upon these subtle personal stories and incorporating them into my own style of depiction, I find ways to address larger concerns and wider problematics. For instance the relationship with the other through immigration, or gender. My work tends to reconnect hyper subjectivity with these broad concepts.
For several years, I have been working with various media such as writing, photography, performance, sound, and especially video. In my practice, I tend to collaborate with a series of individuals over a relatively long period of time. The starting point is their stories, often anecdotal, such as running backwards on a carpet, the sex life of an oyster, or their craftsmanship, such as blacksmithing or ceramics. These stories evoke images in my mind. I then extract a narrative thread that I transform until I obtain a multitude of voices and characters in a universe that I create for them through writing. Whether it's with a bodybuilder/Doctor of Life Sciences (Strike a Pose), an oyster farmer (M E R S E A), or even my own father (Filira), the choice of people I work with always comes from an instinctive desire to get to know them. By committing to collaborate over an often indefinite period of time with people who are not involved in the contemporary art world, I am confronted with new ways of thinking. This is always a real challenge: finding a new form of communication each time, a language specific to this relationship, leading us to adapt together in order to build the mutual trust that is essential.
These aspects are part of the invisible work necessary to develop the so-called visible work. Based on these personal stories, I subtly integrate them into my own form of representation. Starting from the anecdotal to talk about much broader and more complex issues. For example, by reexamining the codes of our relationship to immigration, gender, or even everyday life. My work strives to reconnect hyper-subjectivity with these broad concepts, which are often too vast to be fully understood.
From Greek origins, Maëlle Gross (*1988) was born and raised in Switzerland. After graduating with honors from the Geneva University of Art and Design, she continues her studies at Goldsmiths University, London. She received her MFA with Merit. The artist is interested to explore the different layers of social/cultural conditions across various media, including installation, photography, and video documentary. Her work tackles notions of hyper subjectivity, memory, and power structures. She was awarded the City of Geneva Creation Grant in 2016. Her work has been shown in various institutions including the Centre d’art Contemporain in Geneva (2017), a solo exhibition at Flux Laboratory in Zurich (2017), and was commissioned to create site-specific „art walks“ in the area of Kypseli in Athens (2017) and in the Pâquis in Geneva for Antigel Festival (2018). She is nominated for the 2020 Prix Mobilière presented at Art Geneva. In February 2020, Gross had her first institutional solo show (HotHeads) at the Kunsthaus in Langenthal, curated by Raffael Dörig. In 2021, she was the winner of the Swiss Arts Awards. In 2022, she collaborated with the University of Neuchâtel in microbiology for her first international solo exhibition, I wanna say a word, presented at Display, Berlin, and curated by Marie Dupasquier. In 2023, Malefica, her second institutional solo show, opened at the Centre d'art d'Yverdon-Les-Bains (CACY), curated by Rolando Basetti. She was also invited by the Atopos Foundation (cvc) for a research residency on hydrofeminism in Greece. In 2024, she is invited by Pierre-Henri Foulon for a new production (based on her research on Hélène Smith) as part of the Surréalisme. Le grand jeu at the Musée Cantonale des Beaux-Arts (MCBA) in Lausanne. In 2026, she will participate in the major exhibition Déplier les mondes, curated by Tadeo Kohan (CCS, Paris) and Valentine Umansky (Tate, London).
Maëlle Gross est titulaire d’un Bachelor en arts visuels obtenu à la Haute école d’art et de design de Genève (HEAD). En 2016, elle reçoit son Master in Fine Arts à la Goldsmiths University, Londres. Gross travaille principale-ment avec les médiums vidéos, performatifs et installatifs, sa pratique entre-mêle faits et fiction. Avec un focus sur les conditions sociales, son travail s’axe principalement sur les questions d’identité notamment à travers le genre et le language. Elle est lauréate de la Bourse de création de la ville de Genève en 2016. Elle est nominée au Prix Mobilière 2020 présentée à Art Genève. En février 2020, Gross a son premier soloshow institutionel (HotHeads) à la Kunsthaus de Langenthal curaté par Raffael Dörig. En 2021, elle est lauréate des Swiss Arts Awards. En 2022, elle collabore avec l’université de Neuchâtel en microbio-logie pour sa première exposition personnel international, I wanna say a word présentée à Display, Berlin et curatée par Marie Dupasquier. En 2023, s’ouvre Malefica, son se-cond solo show institutionnel au Centre d’art d’Yverdon-Les-Bains (CACY) curaté par Rolando Basetti. Elle est également invitée par la fondation Atopos (cvc) pour une résidence de recherche sur l’hydroféminisme en Grèce. En 2024, elle est invitée par Pierre-Henri Foulon pour une nouvelle production (basée sur ses recherches sur Hélène Smith) dans le cadre de l’exposition Surréalisme. Le grand jeu au Musée Cantonale des Beaux-Arts (MCBA), Lausanne. En 2026, elle participera à l'exposition d'envergure Déplier les mondes, curatée par Tadeo Kohan (CCS, Paris) et Valentine Umansky (Tate, London).
CURRICULUM VITAE
EDUCATION
2013-2015 MFA Fine Art Goldsmiths University of London graduated with Merit
2010- 2013 HEAD (Art and Design University Geneva) Section Fine Art in Art/Media graduated with honors
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCES
2025-26 artiste invitée à Ecole d’Arts Visuels Berne et Bienne
2018-22 professor assistant in Video&Sound Lab in Visual Art Departement of HEAD University (Haute Ecole d'Art et Design de Genève)
2018 Atelier d’écriture pour femmes issues de la migration (Antigel), Ecole des Mamans, Ecole Pâquis-Centre, CH
2016 archiviste média pour la Croix Rouge Vaudoise, CH
depuis 2008 Création d’images de campagne pour l’organisation de la Croix Rouge, CH
2015 Membre du comité de rédaction, Hysteria Magazine, UK
2015 Réalisatrice de clip publicitaire pour Strawberry Blue Art contemporary company, UK
2014 Mandat photographique pour le Festival de Musique Paléo, CH
2014 Mandat en tant qu’archiviste photographies pour le Musée de L’Elysée et les 50 ans de Paléo, CH
2013 Co-programmatrice de Home Cinéma 4.12; Fragments mobiles, Trafic-Home Cinéma, CH
2012 Assistante de l’artiste Pedro Reyes à la dOCUMENTA(13), DE
2012 Réalisatrice de clips pour le Festival de musique Paléo, CH
2008-2013 Promotrice et formatrice chez Canon, CH
2011- 2013 Photographe officielle chez Canon, CH
2013 Mandat de photographe pour Inovacomm company, CH
2010-2011 Bénévole au Lausanne Underground Film Festival (LUFF) dans le secteur de la presse et des médias, CH
2012 Réalisatrice d’un clip publicitaire pour Le Romandie (Club Rock Underground), CH
2009-2012 Coordinatrice Presse et TV au Festival de musique Paléo, CH
Solo shows:
CACY (Contemporary Art Center Yverdon), Malefica, 2023
I wanna say a word, Display, Berlin, 2022
Langenthal, solo show HotHeads, Kunsthaus Langenthal, February-June 2020
Lausanne solo show, Pavillon d’été de l’espace Cabanon en collaboration avec l’EPFL, juin-juillet 2018
Zürich How to Cure Your Swissillness (according to the Internet), Flux Laboratory, 2017
Collective exhibitions&projections (selection):
Mich'Line, service culturel et du fonds d’art de la Ville de Thônex, 2025
Real and important things happenend here, oeuvre permanente, Musée historique région d’Yverdon, Yverdon-Les-Bains 2025
Surréalisme. Le grand jeu, MCBA , Lausanne 2024
Parcours, Hôtel des Patient.es, VU.CH, Lausanne 2024
Bébé en tête, Musée de la Main, Lausanne 2023-2024
Disappear here, Museo Villa dei Cedri, Bellinzona 2023
I wanna say a word, Hydrocommons, ATOPOS cvc, Athènes 2023
BAITBALL (02), présentée par Display, Palazzo San Giuseppe, Polignano a Mare 2022
Walking with Water Public Program, en réponse à l’exposition de Vladimir Nikolić, Pavillon de la Serbie, Biennale de Venise 2022
Mutter Nail, Festival Internacional de Fotografía de Mexico, Mexico City 2022
Imaginaires vibrants, Visarte Suisse, Espace Arlaud, Lausanne 2022
Mutter Nail, Swiss Art Awards, Basel 2021
This is a Seed, performance, Tunnel Tunnel, Lausanne 2021
Stitches, Le Commun, Genève 2021
Are we all here ? Exploring Embodied Virtuality Today, On Curating, Zurich 2021-22
#ArtisteDici, Avenue Jules-Gonin 5, Lausanne 2021
Zürich FitArt, Roehrs&Boetsch Gallery, Zurich 2020
Prix Mobilière, Artgenève, Genève 2020
This thin Edge, La Capsula, Zurich 2020
Des Seins à Dessein, Espace Arlaud, Lausanne 2020
Genève This is Your Captain, performance, B.I.G (Biennale des espaces d’art indépendants), 2019
Bâle HotHeads, Swiss Art Awards, Messeplatz, 2019
Zürich This is Your Captain, performance, On Curating Space, Zürich Moves!, 2019
Genève This is Your Captain, performance, Théâtre de L’Usine, janvier 2019
Yverdon How to cure your Swiss Illness (according to the internet), sur invitation de La Dérivée et du CACY, 2018
MILF Plateaux, Espace témoin, Geneva, 2018
Objets Fétiches, Atelier stories, Paris, 2018
Queering the exhibition, Oncurating Project Space, Zürich Moves, 2018
Bourse de la Ville de Genève, Centre d’Art Contemporain de Genève, Geneva, 2017
Migration in Mind, Human Library, ARC residency et l’espace dAM, Romainmôtier,2017
KIOSK KSOIK, A-Leithia project, documenta 14, Athens, 2017
Club Sandwich Vidéos, Le 19 CRAC - Centre régional d’art contemporain, Montbéliard2017
Going where we come from, Athènes May- June 2017
La Fête du Slip, Forma Galerie, Lausanne, 2017
Chicago Streetlight, Romansusan Gallery, Chicago, 2016
London Videokills Invisible City Symphonies London Edition, 2016
Athènes, Lost in translation, Snehta Residency, 2016
Athènes Dancing Shadows - Roomlines, metamatic:taf and Flux Laboratory, 2016
Tunis International feminist contemporary art festival, 2016
Berlin Les Rencontres Internationales, Haus der Kulturen der Welt, 2016
Paris Les Rencontres Internationales, La Gaïté Lyrique, 2016
Genève It’s a Dirty Job, Foound Space, 2015
Londres Performances avec le collectif Almosthere and Dora Garcia au Natural History Museum et ICA, 2015
Londres Graduation Show, Goldsmiths College, 2015
Londres Almosthere, Large Glass gallery, 2015
Paris R4, Video Art festival, Ile Seguin, La Pagode, 2014
Genève SEE IT THIS, Forde Gallery, avec Guillaume Pilet, 2014
Londres We wish we had a show but it’s a festival, Studio B, Goldsmiths College, 2014
Genève Start making sense!, Liveinyourhead Gallery, 2013
Genève Hotel Abisso, Contemporary Center Geneva, avec Guillaume Pilet, 2013.
Bern Crédit Suisse FÖRDERPREIS VIDEOKUNST, Kunstmuseum, 2013
Genève Extimité, à la BCGE, 2012
Genève Display Units, Liveinyourhead Gallery, 2012
Genève Extimité, Nest Gallery, 2011
Prizes/Bursaries:
2025 Soutien Arts Visuels Vaud pour Grotte Gaze
2023 Bourse de recherche Pro Helvetia en partenariat avec Atopos (cvc), Athènes-Zürich
2022 Pro Helvetia, soutien à la production, Malefica, CACY
2021 Swiss Art Awards, Lauréate
2020 Art Genève Prix La Mobilière: Nominée
2019 sélectionnée pour C’est Déjà Demain, théâtre du Loup, Genève
2019 Swiss Art Awards: Nominée pour la section Art
2018 Pro Helvetia: Soutien pour la pièce This is your Captain
2018 Lauréate de la bourse du FCAC ( Fonds 'Art Contemporain du canton de Genève) pour le film A SIRIUS HUMAN, 2018
2018 Bourse de la Fondation Gandur pour l'Art, pour le projet collectif Going where we come from chap. Les Pâquis.
2017 Bourse de soutien de l’Ambassade de Suisse en Grèce
2017 Bourse de la Fondation Anne-Marie Schindler pour le projet Going where we come from, Kypseli.
2017 Bourse Fondation Fluxum pour le projet Going where we come from
2017 Sélectionnée pour les Bourses de la Ville de Genève
2016 Lauréate de la bourse d’aide à la création de la Ville de Genève
2015 Invitée to ARC residency, PourCent culturel Migros Romainmôtiers
2016 Shortlisted for Bloomberg New Contemporaries, London
2014 Selected for the R4 prize, Paris
2013 Shortlisted for the Förder Prize, Bern
2013-15 Hans Wilsdorf bursaries award, Carouge
Publications:
2019 This book is yours, recipes for artistic collaboration, Sally De Kunst et al., Fribourg
2018 Les chroniques de l’art contemporain de Karine Tissot, aux Editions L’Apage et In Folio,
2017 GOING WHERE WE COME FROM, micro-publication d’artiste, A-Letheia project, documenta 14
2016 La Relève, EMOI Magazine, Canton de Vaud
2015 Strike A Pose, HOAX Publication, Londres
2015 Hysteria #6 ERUPTION, London
2015 ALTER ZEITGEIST, Livre d’artiste, MAMO publications, Marseille
2014 Ma comptine visuelle, Livre d’artiste en collaboration avec la HEAD, Genève
Artist Residency:
eeeeh! Art space, Nyon, 2020
Théâtre de l’Usine, Genève, 2019
ARC Residency, le % culturel de la Migros, Romainmotiers, Switzerland, 2015.
Snehta residency, Athens, Greece 2016
PRESSE (selection):
2019 La nouvelle vague féministe suisse, Le Temps, Genève
2018 Magie et female gaze, Goout Magazine, Genève.
2018 "On va là d’où l’on vient", E-flux Belgique, Bruxelles
2018 Reportage de la déambulation, Le journal de la Culture, Léman Bleu, Genève
2018 Portrait de la Der, Les Pâquis sous l’oeil de Maëlle Gross, Tribune de Genève, Genève
2018 Le 19:45 de la RTS, Festival Antigel: une envie d’intégration, Genève
2018 De l’Art à Antigel, On déambule avec Maëlle Gross, Genève Contemporain, Genève
2018 "Plus un spectacle est inclassable, plus on l’aime", Le Temps, Genève
2018 Immersion aux Pâquis, rubrique Culture, le Courrier, Genève
2017 Le 19:45 de la RTS, portait: La jeune artiste suisse Maëlle Gross lance un projet à Athènes qui réunit des oeuvres d’artistes suisses et internationaux
2017 Und.Athens, Maëlle Gross and the wandering difinition of home
2017 Enallaktika artoπ sur la chaîne de télévision EPT3, Atènes
2016 Maëlle Gross: frictions du réel, Le Courrier, CH
2016 La relève, EMOI Magazine, CH
2016 Interview with LabTV, Paris
2016 Q&A at Les Rencontres Internationales, Paris
2016 Breuer Press International, Hongrie
2015 Interview on Radio Vostok https://www.mixcloud.com/RadioVostok/dirty-job/
2016 Fideli magazine, Budapest
2015 Art and education, London
2015 Interview on Radio Vostok https://www.mixcloud.com/RadioVostok/dirty-job/
2015 Hoax Publication, Work of the Week, London
2014 R4, ArtPress, Paris