The Institute for Land and Environmental Art (ILEA) connects art, research, and education in the field of Art & Ecology. Since its founding in 2016, it has understood itself as a “think & do tank” that advances socio-ecological transformation through art and cultural projects.
ILEA initiates and facilitates transdisciplinary, participatory processes, linking artists, researchers, institutions, and more-than-human partners – step by step evolving into an international laboratory for experimental, site- and context-specific approaches to art and environmental issues. It sees itself as a place where today’s challenges can be practically explored and forward-looking perspectives developed.
ILEA became known through the Biennale Art Safiental and the Alps Art Academy. Today, its activities include exhibitions (ILEA Exhibits), educational projects (ILEA School), research programs (ILEA Research), talks and symposia (ILEA Talks), residencies (ILEA Residency), as well as publications (ILEA Press).
Initially rooted in the rural, alpine context, ILEA now also operates in urban settings and within international collaborations – since 2025 in strategic partnership with Labör (Zurich). The non-profit organization is structured as an association with an international advisory board. It was founded and is directed by Johannes M. Hedinger.
NEWS
> BLOG
Current and upcoming Events
– WALKING – Thinking in Motion 3, Rheinhafen, Basel, Sep 11-13, 2026
Symposium & Walkshops on Lucius Burckhardt
– URBAN COMMONS – Art & Collective Placemaking, ZHdK Summer School, Sep 3-5, 2026
Workshop on collective forms of action between art, everyday life, and urban practice
– WALK & TALK, Art in public spaces, June 14, 2026, 10-12:00
Walk to public artworks in Oerlikon/Zürich Nord, Start @Labör
– WALKING – Thinking in Motion 2, Oerlikon, Zürich @Labör, June 5.-7, 2026
Symposium & Walkshops on Lucius Burckhardt
– WALK & TALK, Experience urban transformations, May 27, 2026, 18 – 19.30
Sustainable niches in Oerlikon, with Rita Illien, accompanying event “Zürich zirkulär“, Start @Labör
– WALK & TALK, Riverlandscape Limmat, Mar 21, 2026, 14:00
Guided audio walk along the Limmat River, Start @GZ Wipkingen Zürich,
– URBAN WATERS, GZ Wipkingen Zürich, Mar 12. – Apr 12. 2026
Exhibition & Events > Information – Installation, Audiowalk, Podcast
– ART & SUSTAINABLE FUTURES, ZHdK Winterschool, 3.-7. Feb 2026
Workshop on current ecological and social discourses and practices
> Information > Registration
– WALKING – Thinking in Motion, Tenna/Safiental, 5.-7.9. 2025
Symposium & Walkshops – Lucius Burckhardt and the Future of Perception
> Concept > Program + Summaries > Photo Documentation > Videos of all Talks + Docu Walkshops
ILEA Research
– Art & Transformation; HKB Hochschule der Künste Bern
– River Landscapes – a new glossary; Pro Helvetia Synergies > Link
– ACLA, long-term ecoacoustic research by Marcus Maeder > Link
– Safientaler Gespräche, Oral History Archiv > Link
ILEA Press
– What if? Letters to the Future (2024) >Infos >order
– Learning from the Earth (2023) >order
– Massmovements (Patrick Rohner) (2021) >order
– Landscape #1 (2020) >order
ILEA School
Since 2016, various formats such as academies, summer/winter schools, workshops, and seminars in Safiental and Zurich. > Detailed list
ILEA Talks
Since 2018, various formats such as symposia, conferences, talks, panels, and roundtables in Switzerland, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, the USA, Brazil, and India. > Detailed list
ILEA Exhibits
1. Art Safiental (2016), 2. Art Safiental (2018), Art Safiental Gallery (2018-2024), 3. Art Safiental (2020), Furk’Art (2020), H.R. Fricker (2020), Patrick Rohner (2021), Marcus Maeder (2022), 4. Art Safiental (2022), Dharmendra Prasad (2023), 5. Art Safiental (2024), Urban Waters (2026) > Detailed List
ILEA Residency
Indranjan Banerjee (2025), Sarah Bar (2023), Damian Christinger (2022), Bill Fox (2018), Sujit Mallik (2024), Farah Mulla (2024), Dharmendra Prasad (2022), Sara Rutz (2020), Shazeb Shaik (2022), Akash Sharam (2023), Ralph Tharayil (2025) > Info
Contact
Verein Institute for Land and Environmental Art
Höhenring 9, CH – 8004 Zürich – info@ilea.art
Postfinance: 16-663528-0
IBAN: CH54 0900 0000 1666 3528 0
Documents: Statutes / Advisory Board / Partner & Support
Since 2016 the international outdoor exhibition on the latest trends in Land and Environmental Art with a changing focus has been held in the Safiental GR. After New Land Art (2016), Horizontal – Vertical (2018) and Analog – Digital (2020), and Learning from the Earth (2022), the theme for 2022 was What if? Songs from Tomorrowland.
Around 15 national and international artists created temporary works related to the theme, installed in dialogue with the landscape and mostly in outdoor spaces. They were distributed throughout the entire Safiental valley and could be visited for free and without charge for about four months a year. A short guide and a catalogue were published for each exhibition. In addition, a broad program of events and mediation was offered.
Among the more than 70 art positions of the previous editions are Ravi Agarwal, Lita Albuquerque, Ursula Biemann, Julius von Bismarck, James Bridle, Bob Gramsma, Ingeborg Lüscher, !Mediengruppe Bitnik, Ernesto Neto, Raumlabor, Analia Saban, Roman Signer, Steiner/Lenzlinger, Ben Vautier among others.
Founder Johannes M. Hedinger was artistic director and curator of all five biennials until the end of 2024; the 2024 edition was co-curated by Anne-Laure Franchette, Josiane Imhasly and Joanna Lesnierowska. Until the end of 2024 ART SAFIENTAL was sponsored by the Beverin Nature Park and the municipality of Safiental. From 2025, the ART SAFIENTAL association as the new sponsor will reorganize the exhibition.
www.artsafiental.ch
Since 2016 the ALPS ART ACADEMY summer academy has been held in parallel to the Art Safiental Biennale on the same theme. 20 to 30 international participants researched, debated and produced work in a ten-day workshop on topics related to Art & Ecology and Land and Environmental Art, the output of which was presented to the public at the end. The academy included a public, two-day symposium (ILEA Talks), field trips, site visits and artist talks. The academy center was located in the Berghotel Alpenblick in Tenna, which also housed the ILEA Institute for Land and Environmental Art until the end of 2024.
The founder and general director from 2016-2024 was Johannes M. Hedinger, with Mirja Busch as co-director (2018-2022).
www.alpsartacademy.ch
