Alan Bogana was born in 1979 in Switzerland.
He’s a pluridisciplinary artist based in Geneva, Switzerland. His art practice involves sculpture, computer graphics, electronics, time-based media and holography, and his works are usually presented in the form of installations.

During the last years his research has focused on the exploration, real and fictional, of the behavior of light and its interactions with matter. He investigates this broad field of study through various means, such as computer graphics simulations of impossible phenomena or the manipulation of translucent, phosphorescent and holographic materials.

He completed a Fine Arts Diploma with honors at the Geneva University of Art and Design, a specialization in computer graphics and one in artistic research methodologies at the Zürich University of Art and Design. He exhibited in Europe, in the United States, in the Emirates and in South Africa. He has been artist in residence at the Swiss Institute in Rome, at the Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris, at the Sommerakademie Zentrum Paul Klee in Bern, in Cape Town with Pro Helvetia and in Zug with the Landis & Gyr Foundation.

Curriculum Vitae

Education
2012-13
– ZHDK, Zürich and HEAD, Geneva – CAS Program on artistic research methodologies
2004-09
– Haute Ecole d’Art et Design, Geneva – HES HEA Diploma in Visual Arts with honours
2007
– National College of Art and Design, Dublin, Ireland, exchange program
2006
– Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield, United Kingdom, exchange program

Solo shows
2022
– Parallels – Part 2, CAN, Neuchâtel, CH
2021
– Rimembrana, duo with Valentina Pini, Nano Raum für Kunst, Zürich, CH
2020
– Swiss Media Art, HeK, Basel, CH
2019
– Phlogistronic Dandelions, Smena Art Center, Kazan, RU
– Spherical Bastards, KulturFolger, Zürich, CH
– The Bally Stimmen, Bally Foundation, Milan, IT
2018
– Boganium, Handwavium et les autres, Mineralogy Museum MINES-ParisTech, Paris, FR
2017
– Surely Many Very Early Men Just Sat Under Native Palms, La Rada, Locarno, CH
– Gamma Pool Confabulations (in collaboration with Hunter Longe), Lokal-int, Bienne, CH
2016
– Transmutations I, OnOff, Winterthur, CH
2015
– The Hypothetical Cabinet of Phlogistronics, Kunsthaus Langenthal, Langenthal, CH
– Consider that and measure, measure and receive the carmine, One Gee in Fog, Geneva, CH
2013 
– Tony and the Shape Junkies II, Hard Hat, Geneva, CH
– Tony and the Shape Junkies, Espace Duplex, Geneva, CH
2012 
– Persistence of persistence — Orchids, prisms and lenses, Usine Kugler, Geneva, CH
2011
– Opuntiarium — No Present, Blank Projects, Cape Town, ZA
2009
– Morlockian mockups and Eloian prototypes, Galerie Ruine, Geneva, CH

Group shows, screenings and talks
2023
– Space is the Place, Mudac, Lausanne, CH
– Dark Matters, Science Gallery, Melbourne, AU
– Kunstwege|Vias d’art Pontresina 2023, Bernina Suot, CH
– Lighten Up!, EPFL Pavilions, Lausanne, CH
2022
– Prompt Generation, online show, portal arte.go.it, IT
– Dream Video, West Bund Art & Design, Shanghai, CN
– Terra Incognita, Praxis, Basel, CH
– Di polvere e luce, Spazio Lampo, Chiasso, CH
– Video Programmation, Le Labo, Geneva, CH
– Dedicated to its Own Pace, Grange de Dorigny, Lausanne, CH
2021
– La Regionale, Villa Ciani, Lugano, CH
– Cosmos, CID, Grand-Hornu, BE
– Projet MIRE, Leman Express Train Stop, Geneva, CH
– Bienal de la Ciencia – Barcelona, CosmoCaixa, Barcelona, ES
– Laser Sensitive, Swissnex SF (online), San Francisco, USA
– Space Oddity, UCCA Dune, Beijing, CN
2020
– Artistes DICI, FMAC, Geneva, CH
– Broken Symmetries, KUMU, Tallinn, ET
– Habitat, Morcote, CH
– Da ieri a oggi, Museo d’arte, Mendrisio, CH
2019 
– 1000 Ecologies, Utopiana, Le Commun, Geneva, CH
– Simetria Talk, Osmoscosmos, Centre de la photographie, Geneva, CH
– Pax Art Awards, HeK, Basel, CH
– Cabinet des corps exquis, Musée de l’Ariana, Geneva, CH
– Memoria del sublime (cur. Carole Haensler), Villa dei Cedri, Bellinzona, CH
– Artist Talk, Webster University, Geneva, CH
2018
– Artist Talk, Smena Gallery, Kazan, RU
– Artist Talk, Lumpen Universität, Espace Libre, Bienne, CH
– Art Paris Art Fair, projection on the Grand Palais façade (cur. Karine Tissot), Paris, FR
– Solitudes molles (cur. collectif détente), Espace Temoin, Geneva, CH
– Artist Talk, Trafic Home Cinema, Lausanne, CH
2017
– Situations #100, Kurzfilmtage Festival invited by the Fotomuseum Winterthur, CH
– Ex Situ. Samples of Lifeforms, Copenhagen Contemporary, Copenhague, DK
– The best of bees, Duplex, Geneva, CH
– Metamorfosi, Museo d’Arte, Mendrisio, CH
2016
– Catch of the year 2016, Dienstgebäude, Zürich, CH
– Gleis70, Zürich, CH
– The Afterlife of Minerals, LASER Talks (with Ulrike Kastrup), Salotto, Zürich, CH
– Che c’é di nuovo, MASI, Lugano, CH
– Che c’é di nuovo, Dienstgebäude, Zürich, CH
2015 
– Cinem’Artistes, Ferme de la Chapelle, Grand-Lancy, CH
– Clouds in the Cave, Fri-Art, Freiburg, CH
– Voglio vedere le mie montagne, MAGA, Gallarate, IT
– FMAC Collection, ArtGenève 2015, Geneva, CH
– Swiss Evening, Cité des Arts, Paris, FR
2014
– Lissignol Grant Show, CAC, Geneva, CH
– ISEA 2014, Dubai, UAE
– Megarave-Metarave, Kunsthaus, Langenthal, CH
– Vues d’ici, Halle Nord, Geneva, CH
– Swiss Art Awards 2014, Basel, CH
– Triennale d’art – Valais 2014, Fully, CH
– Spazi Aperti, Accademia di Romania, Rome, IT
– 14th Biennial Arts and Technology Symposium, Ammerman Center, New London, Connecticut, USA
2013
– Mensch-Maschine-Karaoke (happening), Espace Echallens 13, Lausanne, CH
– Verena, Espace Kugler, Geneva, CH
– Virtual Showroom, Bureau Culturel, CH
– Substance, HEAD stand, ArtGenève Fair, Geneva, CH
2012
– A strangely luminous bubble, LiveInYourHead, Geneva, CH
– Different Strokes, Hard Hat, Geneva, CH
– Overgamed, Villa Dutoit, Geneva, CH
– Sociologie, anthropologie, géographie, histoire, qu’il est vaste le champs cognitif…, Piano Nobile, Geneva, CH
2011
– Alptraum, Blank Gallery Cape Town, ZA
– The difference between here and here, Rotterdam VHS-Festival 17, Rotterdam, NL
– Môtiers 2011 — Art en plein air, Môtiers, CH
2010  
– Art is out there, Galerie J, Geneva, CH
– Swiss Art Awards, Basel, CH
2009
– The difference between here and here, Saison Vidéo #33, Lille, FR
– Greased Lightning ! HEAD 2009 diploma show, CIC, Geneva, CH
– The 2fdqs show. Prism Showroom Cinema, Sheffield, UK
2008
– The difference between here and here, The Wharf Road Project, V22, London, UK
2007 
– The chicken or the egg, Electric rendez vous, Plug-in, Basel, CH
2006 
– Bauer C61, Act06, Centre d’Art Contemporain, Geneva, CH

Publications
2022
– Step by Step (monography), Geneva, CH
– 1000 Ecologies, Utopiana, Geneva, CH
2021  
– Fondazione per la Cultura Bally, Caslano, CH
– A Vocabulary of Proximity, Mabe Bethonico, Biennale d’architettura, Venezia, IT
2019
– Memoria del Sublime, Villa dei Cedri, Bellinzona, CH
2018
– Djerassi SDM Gallery, Leonardo Journal (Vol 52 / Issue 3), MIT Press, USA
2017
– Metamorfosi, Museo d’Arte, Mendrisio, CH
2016
– Che c’è di nuovo, MASI, Lugano, CH
2015
– The Hypothetical Cabinet of Phlogistronics, Kunsthaus Langenthal, Langenthal, CH
– Sommerakademie Zentrum Paul Klee 2014, Bern, CH
2014
– ISEA 2014, Dubai, UAE
– La linea della palma, Nero, Rome, IT
– Spazi Aperti, Accademia di Romania, Rome, IT
– Nero – Supplemento L’Aquila, Nero Magazine, Rome, IT
2011
– Môtiers 2011 — Art en plein air, Môtiers, CH
2008
– 2031, Head, Geneva, CH

Residencies
2022     
– Artist in Residence “Enter the Hyper-Scientific”, EPFL CDH, Lausanne, CH
2020-22    
– Artist in Residence (remotely based), Pro Helvetia, Shanghai and Hong Kong, CN
2019
– Simetría Residency Program at CERN, CH and at the Southern Astronomical Observatories, CL
2018    
– Scientific Delirium Madness, Djerassi Residency, San Francisco, USA
2015 
– Artist in Residence, Landis & Gyr, Zug, CH
2014-15   
– Artist in Residence, Grant Simon I. Patiño / City of Geneva, Cité International des Arts, Paris, FR
2014
– Summer Academy, Guest curator Raimundas Malašauskas, Zentrum Paul Klee, Bern, CH
2013-14    
– Artist in Residence, Swiss Institute, Rome, IT
2011    
– Artist in Residence, Pro Helvetia, Cape Town, ZA

Grants and awards
2023
– Production Grant, FMAC, Geneva, CH
2022
– Foundation Irène Reymond Award, Lausanne, CH
– Public Art Commission Finalist, CS Tenero, CH
2021    
– Grant for the arts, Pro Helvetia, CH
– DDA Geneva Network – Selected artist 2021, CH
2020 
– Personal Grants to Artists, UBS Culture Foundation, CH
– Video art production Grant, FCAC, Geneva, CH
2019   
– Pax Art Award, Basel, CH
– Grant for the arts, FCAC, Geneva, CH
2018
– Société des Arts Grant, Geneva, CH
– Bally Artist Award, Lugano, CH
2017    
– Production Grant, FMAC, Geneva, CH
2016
– Grant for the arts, Pro Helvetia, CH
2015   
– Artist Studio, Maison des arts du Grütli, City of Geneva, period 2016-19, CH
– Production Grant, FMAC et FCAC, Geneva, CH
2014  
– Grant for the arts, DIP, Geneva, CH
2013     
– Studio Roma Grant, Swiss Institute, Rome, IT
– Grant for the arts for residency in Rome, Ticino and Geneva Canton, CH

Public Collections
– Museo d’arte, Mendrisio, CH
– PAX Art Foundation, Basel, CH
– HEK, Haus der Elektronische Künste, Basel, CH
– Ticino public collection (MASI), Lugano, CH
– Fonds cantonal d’art contemporain (FCAC), Geneva, CH
– Fonds d’art contemporain de la Ville de Genève (FMAC), Geneva, CH
– Institut de hautes études en administration publique (IDHEAP), Lausanne, CH

Artist Talks
2023  
– Artist Talk (remotely based), MA in Fine Arts, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, HK
– Lighten Up! Symposium – Encounters between Art and Chronobiology, EPFL, Lausanne, CH
2022
– EPFL CDH AIR Roundtable, EPFL, Lausanne, CH
– Artist Talk in “Weak Materiality / Signaling and Mattering”, Master Open Design, Berlin
2021    
– Geneva Digital Market, GIFF, Geneva, CH
– Peer-To-Peer Program, Pro Helvetia, CH
– Artist Talk (remotely based), KUMU, Tallin, ET
2020  
– 5° Encuentro de Arte, Ciencia y Cultura Digital, Simetría (remotely based), Santiago, CL
– Artist Talk CAC Lab (remotely based), Chronus Art Center, Shanghai, CN
2019 
– Artist Talk, Modern Art Museum, Kazan, RU
– Simetría Residency Talk, ALMA Conference Hall, Santiago, CL
– Field Work – Simetría residency, Osmoscosmos, Centre de la photographie, Geneva, CH
– Artist Talk, Webster University, Geneva, CH
2018  
– Artist Talk, Smena Gallery, Kazan, RU
– Artist Talk, Lumpen Universität, Espace Libre, Bienne, CH
– Artist Talk, Trafic Home Cinema, Lausanne, CH
2017 
– Art Talk, Institut Kunst, FHNW, Basel, CH
– LASER Talks “The Afterlife of Minerals”, Salotto, Zürich, CH
2016  
– Artist Talk, EPFL Art Class, Lausanne, CH
2013   
– Methods, Virtuality And Prototyping, Research Symposium, ZHdK, Zurich (24.5.2013)