Whose Landscape: The Alps Between Nation and Planet (Off-Site)
Whose Landscape: The Alps Between Nation and Planet is an afternoon program examining how the Alps have been represented, claimed, and understood across national and planetary scales. Through a panel discussion and art, the event considers whether the Alps belong to Switzerland, to the countries and communities that share them, or to a broader ecological system of glaciers, biodiversity corridors, and atmospheric records.
The program begins with a conversation at Swissnex about cultural ownership and the construction of the Alps’ image. It then continues with a short walk to the Harvard Art Museums for a guided tour of the exhibition *On Location: Drawing the Outdoors*, led by curators Joachim Homann and Sarah C. Rosenthal. The discussion will address the role of museums, embassies, and organizations such as Swissnex in negotiating national identity and planetary responsibility, including the influence of non-Swiss Romantic figures such as J. M. W. Turner, John Ruskin, and Lord Byron on the so-called “Swiss myth.”
When: Saturday, November 7, 2026
Showtimes: 12:30 p.m.–4 p.m.
Tickets: Free
Format: In-person
Where: The program starts at Swissnex, 420 Broadway, Cambridge, Massachusetts, and concludes at the Harvard Art Museums, 32 Quincy Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Program: The event includes a panel discussion at Swissnex, a short walk between the two venues, and an exhibition tour of *On Location: Drawing the Outdoors* at the Harvard Art Museums.
Lineup: Claire Galloni d’Istria, lecturer, biologist, and visual anthropologist at the University of Geneva; Joachim Homann, Maida and George Abrams Curator of Drawings at the Harvard Art Museums; and Anne Whiston Spirn, Cecil and Ida Green Distinguished Professor of Landscape Architecture and Planning at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Benji Jones, senior correspondent at Vox and a Nieman Fellow ’27, serves as moderator.
Registration: Advance registration is available through Swissnex.
Contact: Questions may be directed to Lisa Kurth at lisa.kurth@swissnex.org.
Accessibility: The page does not provide accessibility details.
Support: Funding for *On Location: Drawing the Outdoors* and related programming came from the Stanley H. Durwood Foundation Support Fund, the Stanley H. Durwood Foundation Support Fund for the Study of Dutch Drawing, the Melvin R. Seiden and Janine Luke Fund for Publications and Exhibitions, and the M. Victor Leventritt Lecture Series Endowment Fund. The exhibition catalogue was supported by the Andrew W. Mellon Publication Funds, with additional project support from the Almathea Charitable Foundation.