Saisons : Episode 2 – Balise
With Sacha Rappo & Geoffrey Darbon

We’re excited to announce the second episode of our new event series Saisons, taking place on July 16 from 5-8pm at the public outdoor swimming pool Les Bains de la Motta.

Saisons is a series of offsite events organized by the Kunsthalle Friart Fribourg. It is conceived as an invitation to audiences, artists, and cultural actors who contribute to the art scene in Fribourg from both near and far. Developed each time within and for a unique site in Fribourg, Saisons aims to create a space for temporary communities arising from the interactions between the people present, the artworks, and the spaces.

Episode 2: Balise is taking place at the height of summer – a season that moves at a slower, gentler pace, while life flourishes along the banks of the Sarine in Fribourg. It is set in the historic setting of La Motta, an iconic public outdoor swimming pool built in 1924, which is a well-frequented gathering place and a longstanding institution in the city during the summer months. In the lawns, the Kunsthalle presents a new, semi-permanently installed artwork by Fribourg based artist Sacha Rappo, which will become a stable presence in the life of La Motta in the months to come. The inauguration of the work, titled Balise (2025), will be accompanied by a DJ set by Fribourg based Geoffrey Darbon, starting from 7pm.

Sacha Rappo’s artistic practice explores geological processes and the temporal dynamics inherent to mineral matter, as well as its interactions with the organic world. For Saisons, Rappo presents Balise (2025), a new marble sculpture which will be on display over the course of one year. The work combines intestinal forms with those of ventilation shafts for underground spaces, an element of urban infrastructure which can often be found in public spaces in Switzerland. In doing so, Rappo brings together the realms of the living, the industrial, and the mineral: The work integrates forms suggestive of intestines into a structure originally designed for technological purposes, and – as it will be exposed to natural elements for an extended period – , its surface will gradually be transformed. Carved from marble from the Southern Canton Ticino, Balise evokes the tradition of classical sculpture, recalling both Roman fountains and the sculpted bodies of Antiquity.

Geoffrey Darbon has been active in the organization of music and cultural events in Fribourg since 2013 and performs under a range of evolving aliases. During the evening, he presents a fluid selection of ambient, dub, and breakbeat sounds.

Drinks will be offered at the beginning of the evening. Additional refreshments and food will be available at the La Motta pool kiosk