Mission
A Platform for Young Artists
The Kunsthaus Baselland is among the leading exhibition venues for regional, national and international contemporary art in the Basel region. Since 1998 the institution has offered artists a platform for artistic exchange in the framework of solo, group or thematic exhibitions. Numerous regional, and some international artists have had their first institutional showing in Switzerland or in Europe here.
Regional and International
The curatorial programme is focussed on contemporary art in the Basel region which is positioned within an international discourse through accompanying international and national exhibitions.
Engagement with Architecture and Site
The Kunsthaus Baselland supports and promotes the creation of new works that enter into dialogue with the Kunsthaus architecture and/or that of the Basel region. Under the current director many of the invited local, national and international artists have been encouraged to develop new, sometimes large-scale works and work series specifically for this site.
Create Access to Art
As a public institution there is awareness of the Kunsthaus Baselland’s educational remit. An established educational programme is offered for children, young people and adults that is consistently developed and extended.
Lively Discourse
The Kunsthaus Baselland should be a lively place for exchange and informed encounter with contemporary art. The exhibition programme is therefore, despite limited means, augmented by publications, talks and conversations with artists, creators and figures from business, politics and education. The Kunsthaus opens its doors for the study of artists and their works of art through collaboration with neighbouring, internationally active further education institutions.
Kunsthaus Baselland, June 2024. Photo: Pati Grabowicz
New Kunsthaus Baselland 2024. Photo: Finn Curry
Director
Dr. Ines Goldbach
Director’s Assistant
Martina Stähli
Communications/Publications/Curatorial Assistant
Ines Tondar
Organisation Office
Salome Tramèr
Exhibition Technicians and Education
Oliver Minder
(Co Head of Exhibition Technique)
Finn Curry
(Co Head of Exhibition Technique)
Sylvain Baumann
Colin Barth
Jacob Ott
Jack Young
Education
Leonie Vogt
Katharina Anna Wieser
Yola Rey Büchler
Olga Madjinodji
Clara Soiron
Lara Thomann
Tiziana Fässler
Internship
Eva Grüninger
Reception
Enya Bains
Pia-Rosa Dobrowitz
Kaspar Flück
Yasmin Emmenegger
Grégoire-Cesare Marcel
Madeleine Mavambu
Paula Santomé
Nicole Schuler
Alessia Testoni
History
In the 1930s the systematic, institutional support of art in the Canton Basel-Landschaft began with the founding of a cantonal art fund. The fund committee organised art exhibitions that took place at intervals of two or three years and bought pictures and prints from these exhibitions, amongst others. A collection of art from Baselland started to develop. Following this the private Basellandschaftliche Kunstvereinigung (Baselland Art Society) was founded in 1944, which is today the Kunstverein Baselland. Local creativity in particular was to be supported through exhibitions and purchases. For decades the Kunstverein put on exhibitions by artists from the Basel region in the Schloss Ebenrein, which the canton bought in 1952. For want of an exhibition space the Verein also had to avail of empty factories, business premises, schools and tram depots.
An Exhibition Space of its Own
In the summer of 1997 the Kunstverein purchased the erstwhile factory building at St. Jakobs-Strasse 170 in Muttenz, realising a long-held wish for the Verein to have its own exhibition space. Leading in this matter was Richard Hersberger, president of the Kunstverein at the time. Shortly afterwards, the Kunsthaus Baselland was opened in a former industrial building with approximately 1’400m² of exhibition space in Muttenz, which served as a venue for artistic projects for 25 years.
New building
In 2024, the institution moved into a new building in Münchenstein, designed by Buchner Bründler Architekten and transformed from a former champagne warehouse into a space for contemporary art. In close contact with its neighbors on the Dreispitz, including Schaulager, Hochschule für Gestaltung und Kunst, HEK (Haus für Elektronische Künste), Atelier Mondial, Radio X, important architecture offices such as Herzog & de Meuron, as well as many local residents, Kunsthaus Baselland is being led into the future as part of an up-and-coming area. The Kunsthaus Baselland can easily be reached in a few minutes by public transport from the city of Basel.
Professional curation
The Kunsthaus is lead by a professional curator chosen by the Kunstverein committee.
Presidents of the
Kunstverein Baselland
1944: Establishment of the Kunstverein Baselland
1944–1954 Karl Gnemmi, Liestal (Founding President)
1954–1964 Willy Arnold, Architect, Liestal
1964–1974 Heinrich Stalder, Liestal
1974–1998: Richard Hersberger, Muttenz
Responsible for the Kunstverein Baselland’s purchase (10 May 1997) and occupation (end 1997) of the current Kunsthaus Baselland site in Muttenz
1998–2001: Siegfried Bläuer, Sissach
2001–2002: Annina Zimmermann, Münchenstein (interim)
2002–2012: Manuela Eichenberger, Binningen
2012–2017: Anthony Vischer, Riehen/Basel
Together with the Foundation Kunsthaus Baselland and the director Ines Goldbach, initiator of the current new Kunsthaus on the Dreispitz project continued by his successor
2017–present day: Marina Meijer-von Tscharner
Directors/Curators of the
Kunsthaus Baselland
3.1998–2.2001: Andreas Baur
2.2001–7.2013: Sabine Schaschl
8.2013–present day: Ines Goldbach
Kunsthaus Baselland, April 2024. Photo: Pati Grabowicz
Supporters
The main supporter of the privately-run institution is the Kunstverein Baselland, to which numerous artists, creatives and interested non-creatives as well as key figures from the Basel region belong. The Bildungs-, Kultur- und Sportdirektion department from the Canton Basel-Landschaft (kulturelles.bl) supports operation of the Kunsthaus Baselland with an annual funding contribution. This financial foundation is continually augmented through applications for funding from other sources in order to support artists producing work for their exhibitions at the Kunsthaus Baselland. The building in Muttenz belonged to the not-for-profit Kunsthaus Baselland Foundation. The function of this foundation is to provide the Kunsthaus Baselland with accommodation. It is also the owner of the new Kunsthaus venue at the Dreispitz.
Network
Over the past two years the Kunsthaus Baselland has strengthened its network significantly within the Basel art and cultural scene, in an international context and also in business, thanks to key cooperation partners. Contacts with universities, in particular with the various institutions of the Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz in the Dreispitz area, as well as other further education establishments and academies in the region (including in Freiburg in Breisgau and Karlsruhe), have also intensified. Neighbouring schools and further education establishments play an ever more important role in the area of mediation. The broad international recognition gained by the Kunsthaus over recent years has led to good contacts with press and media on a local, national and international level.
