Michel Ritter

See also: Ritter

Michel Ritter is an artistic person in charge Suisse born in 1949 and died of a Cancer the May 2nd 2007 in Paris. At the time of its death, he was the director of the Swiss Arts center of Paris and vice-president of the Forum of the foreign cultural institutes in Paris.

Before 1974

He worked as artist self-educated and spent three years with New York where he rubbed with the modes of expression like the performance, the Work in progress and the installation.

Director of the Gallery RB

In 1974, Michel Ritter opened the gallery RB with Freiburg with the artist Bruno Baeriswyl.

Programmer of Belluard Bollwerk International (BBI)

Of 1983 with 1998, Michel Ritter collaborated in the organization of Belluard Bollwerk International (BBI), the multi-field festival of Freiburg.

Director of Fri-Art

Of 1990 with 2002, Michel Ritter founded and directed Fri-Art, the center of contemporary art of Freiburg.

Director of the Swiss Arts center (2002 - 2007)

Nomination

Michel Ritter took, the September 2nd 2002, the continuation of Daniel Jeannet with the head of the Swiss Arts center of Paris, direction which it preserved until his death.

Polemic

Little time after its nomination, a conflict opposed Michel Ritter and the personnel of the Arts center, in particular on its manner of directing the center and the management of the allocated funds to visual arts. The programming of Michel Ritter would have been too much directed towards the Contemporary art and that with the detriment of the literary and theatrical scene Swiss. Whereas it seemed that Michel Ritter is constrained to leave the Swiss Arts center, on many artists, police chiefs, journalists decided to react.

The April 22nd 2003, organized the debate: “Towards a cultural curfew? , Case study number 1: the Swiss arts center of Paris, " Who is afraid of Michel Ritter? " ” with the Palate of Tokyo. A letter of support for Michel Ritter was also written by Veronique Bachetta (direct of the center of contemporary Edition of Geneva), Stéphanie Moisdon (Commissaire of exposure and art Critic - Paris) and of Hans Ulrich Obrist, (Commissaire of exposure - Paris) and addressed to Pius Knüsel, director of the Swiss foundation for the culture Pro Helvetia.

The May 13rd 2003, the management committee of Pro Helvetia confirmed Michel Ritter at the position of director of the Swiss Arts center of Paris provided the Center is not “only one center of contemporary art. There must remain open to the other artistic kinds, like the dance or the theater for example” (according to the official press release of Pro Helvetia). Furthermore, a station of coordinator was created to regulate the technical sides and basic.

Finally, the November 25th 2003, part of the personnel resigned following an arrangement with Pro Helvetia and Michel Ritter was confirmed once again at his station.

Police station

Michel Ritter was also police chief of the following exposures:

• How to remain Zen - Swiss Arts center (April 27th - September 28th 2003). Works of Michael Biberstein, Balthasar Burkhard, Pierre-Andre Ferrand, Sylvie Fleury, That Floyer, Vidya Gastaldon, Sarah Glaisen, Jürg Hassler & Hannes Bossert, Nick Hess, David Lamelas, Zilla Leutenegger, Elodie Pong, Didier Rittener.
• a question of generation - Museum of contemporary art of Lyon (February 16th - April 29th 2007). Works of Francis Baudevin, Andreas Dobler, Christoph Draeger, Massimo Furlan, Bob Gramsma, Fabrice Gygi, Lori Hersberger, Claudia Müller and Julia Müller, Pipilotti Rist, Ugo Rondinone, Gerda Steiner & Jörg Lenzlinger, Sidney Stucki.

Rewards

• 1996 : Price of merit for mediating and mediators of art
• 2004: Price Art Frankfurt for the programming of Fri-Art.
• 2005: Price Meret Oppenheim decreed by the Federal Office of the Culture to key figures in the Swiss contemporary art.

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