Georg Gatsas
1978*, Basel, Switzerland
Georg Gatsas (b. 1978) is an artist who lives and works in Switzerland and abroad. A self-taught photographer, he began his career documenting New York’s underground music scene from 2002 to 2007, leading to early solo exhibitions at Kunsthalle St. Gallen (2003), Binz39 Foundation in Zurich (2006), and the Swiss Institute in New York (2007).
Gatsas has received numerous grants and residencies, including stays in London, Johannesburg, and New York. In 2007, he was awarded the Swiss Federal Prize for Art, and in 2017, the Manor Art Prize St. Gallen, accompanied by a solo exhibition at Kunstmuseum St. Gallen. He completed his MFA at the FHNW Academy of Art and Design, Basel, in 2020.
Gatsas’s work chronicles contemporary club culture and migration-driven identities, capturing the energy of global music scenes and urban life. His extensive series, such as Signal the Future (2008–2017), reflects the rhythm and intensity of nightlife, while projects like Are You… Can You… Were You? (2005–2017) explore the intersection of personal and collective identity.
His participation in last year’s Biennale Bregaglia allowed him to fulfill a longstanding wish: to portray nature. Consequently, he adapted the medium in which he presented the work, incorporating textiles and video (in collaboration with Joji Koyama and NPVR). During his residency at Fundaziun Nairs, he continues this recent exploration of landscape and nature.