From 12th of SEPTEMBER to 31st of OCTOBER 2026, the exhibition GO CLOSER – JOHN BERGER THROUGH HIS ART will take place at Villa Renata, in Basel (CH).

John Berger is most well known for his writings about art. But the art he produced himself throughout his long life is still largely to be discovered. From his first paintings from the Fifties, to the latest drawings of flowers done a few months before his death, this is the largest ever exhibition presented to the public. Following five central axes of his way of living, seing and thinking, a clear relation is established between his practice as an artist and the many books he wrote. Politics, friendship, history, bodies, nature… all come together when you go closer.

Curators: Franziska Stern-Preisig, Christoph Hänsli and Yves Berger.

12th of September: Opening
Late September: Tour with the curators; tattoos for children with Daniel Müller, Zurich
Mid-October 2026: Film screening of Jonas qui aura 25 ans en l’an 2000 (Tanner/Berger, 1976)
Mid-October 2026: Poetry reading featuring works by Mahmoud Darwish / Aws Al-Zubaidi
Mid-October 2026: Audio drama by Moritz Holfelder
31st of October: Finissage