Centre Dürrenmatt Neuchâtel
The Centre Dürrenmatt Neuchâtel exhibits Friedrich Dürrenmatt's paintings and drawings. It is a part of Swiss National Library, just like Swiss Literary Archives, which has a close cooperation with CDN.
The Centre Dürrenmatt, which was opened in the September 2000 above Neuchâtel, is located in the first Dürrenmatt's residential place in 1952. The Swiss architect Mario Botta was assigned to rebuild the house.
As a place for discussion and research, CDN supports critical debates about Dürrenmatt's artistic and literary works. Beside the temporary exhibition, the permanent exhibition "Friedrich Dürrenmatt, writer and painter" is open for public visit. Readings, concerts, colloquiums and debates take place regularly in the CDN. Apart from numerous exhibits of his literary works and rare exhibited paintings, the CDN offers a wide view over the Lake Neuchâtel and also the Bernese Alps.
History
In 1952, Friedrich Dürrenmatt moved to his house in the upper part of the city, where he lived and worked until his death on 14 December 1990. He took his life beyond the Röstigraben as a theme in one of his works, especially the reality that he lived in the francophone part of Switzerland since 1952, but he wrote in German language. After his death, his former house was adapted and expanded for being used as a museum. The museum was opened officially in September 2000.Previous exhibitions
Friedrich Dürrenmatt, Writer and Painter, permanent exhibitionFriedrich Dürrenmatt : Endspiele, from 6 April until 26 October 2003Dieter Roth : la Bibliothèque, from 6 April until 26 October 2003The Theater of Friedrich Dürrenmatt in Bulgaria, from 7 May until 20 August 2004Gotthelf-Dürrenmatt or the Moral in Emmental, from 31 October 2004 until 30 January 2005Varlin – Dürrenmatt Horizontal, from 24 April until 31 July 2005Hanny Fries : Dürrenmatt in Schauspielhaus Zürich, from 17 September until 17 December 2006Dürrenmatt and the Myths: Drawings and Manuscripts, from 11 February until 30 April 2007On the border of language, from 19 May until 2 September 2007Pavel Schmidt – f.k – Kafka's drawings, from 19 October 2007 until 10 February 2008Topor – Encyclopedia of body, from 16 March 2008 until 11 May 2008Paul Flora – Royal dramas, from 18 May 2008 until 31 August 2008Prag 1968 – 40 years spring of Prag, from 14 September 2008 until 19 October 2008Piranesis Carceri, from 10 December 2008 until 8 February 2009Caricatures: Sempé, Bosc, Chaval, Ungerer, from 15 February until 31 May 2009Pier Paolo Pasolini. Who I am – Qui je suis, from 14 June until 6 September 2009Martial Leiter – Guerres, from 25 September 2009 until 31 January 2010Dürrenmatt as Caricaturist: New acquisitions, from 3 February until 16 May 2010Previous performers
- Aki Takase
- Alexander von Schlippenbach
- Alice der Kevorkian
- Anna Trauffer
- Béatrice Graf
- Benoît Moreau
- Christy Doran
- Claude Berset
- Colin Vallon
- Daniel Humair
- Delphine Bardin
- Franziska Baumann
- Frances-Marie Uitti
- Fredy Studer
- Fritz Hauser
- Hildegard Kleeb
- Jacques Demierre
- Joëlle Léandre
- Jonas Kocher
- Katharina Weber
- Lauren Newton
- Léon Francioli
- Lionel Friedli
- Lucien Dubuis
- Marilyn Crispell
- Martin Schütz
- Mireille Bellenot
- Niklaus Luginbühl
- Nouvel Ensemble Contemporain
- Paul Lovens
- Pauline Oliveros
- Pierre Favre
- Roman Nowka
- Samuel Blaser
- Sylvie Courvoisier
- Urs Leimgruber
- Walther Fähndrich