From Hannah W

14 Nov - 7 Dec 2024

My time at the Swiss residency was a rare and enriching experience that allowed me to push my creative boundaries in ways I hadn't anticipated. The absence of distractions—no house maintenance, pets, or partners—allowed me to fully immerse myself in the act of making art, every single day, in every free moment. It was as though I had been given permission to let go of the usual hustle and simply focus on exploring new ideas and techniques.

With the bare minimum of supplies, I was forced to get creative, and that limitation sparked an entirely new approach to my work. It was liberating to not have all the tools I might typically rely on, and instead, I found innovative ways to stretch and challenge my style. The simplicity of the experience freed me to play, experiment, and take risks without the pressure of perfection. I found a breakthrough during my time there, a moment when all the experimentation clicked into something new and exciting.

The peacefulness of the village, with its wide open fields and quiet surroundings, provided the perfect backdrop for this creative freedom. It was a welcome contrast to the constant noise of Brooklyn, and the stillness allowed me to think deeply about my work. Living in such a serene environment, I was able to immerse myself in art, discovering new directions and expanding my practice in ways I hadn’t expected.

The cultural immersion was also a key part of the experience. From the French language to the unique Swiss way of life, I was constantly observing and learning from the new environment around me. This is always a very important part of any residency experience, as I think it's important to absorb the place and re-synthesize it into my work. There is a distinct mental shift that I felt while here.

A highlight was the ability to share a space with the other artist from Turkey, Deniz. It was such an amazing experience to get to know her. Her insights, perspectives, and conversation sparked new ideas and helped me grow as an artist. We got to also see Nina's solo show at a gallery in town, which was very inspiring. I also enjoyed exchanging thoughts on art and discussing our work with other artists that Nina knows in a space that felt both intimate and inspiring. I loved speaking with artists from across the world about their work, experiences, and how they navigate their life as an artist.

Looking back, this residency was more than just a creative retreat—it was a transformative experience that allowed me to slow down, simplify my life, and dive deep into my art in a way that I had never done before. The peacefulness, the immersion in art, and the exposure to a new culture created a perfect environment for reflection and growth, one that will stay with me for a long time to come.

This residency was a transformative experience, one that gave me the freedom to experiment, to push my boundaries, and to discover new dimensions of my artistic practice. I am incredibly grateful for the breakthroughs I experienced in those few weeks and for the chance to be fully immersed in both the art and the unique culture of the village. It was a gift that will continue to shape my work moving forward. Thank you to Nina and her willingness to have artists from around the world stay with her and make art in such a beautiful loft in a beautiful countryside! I will cherish this forever. 

From Tian

15 Oct - 13 Nov 2024

I am very happy to be among the first group of artists to attend the Trélex residency after its reopening since 2020.

This year has been a turbulent time for me; I‘ve been all over the place, but I found a great deal of peace at Nina‘s. Knowing myself, I realized that if I stayed too long, I might become too comfortable and lose the willing to do anything in the end, that’s why I gave myself only 1 month.

In my artistic practice, I explore a bit of everything. Last year, I discovered my interest in tattoo after attending a tattoo convention in Brussels, which inspired me to start my journey as a tattoo artist. 19 - 31 Jan 2020 

 

(The tattoo design I made inspired by my recent trips and my stay in Trélex. Inspected by an important family member of The House Rue Jean-Binet 1.)

(The tattoo I completed is of a withered tulip from a bouquet I received earlier this year. I absolutely adore dying or dead flowers, even more than fresh ones. I was lucky to find someone who appreciated this idea as well from the nearby area, and I gave them the tattoo during my time at Trélex.) 

(During the Journée des Arts à Nyon with Nina and Deniz)

I was also very fortunate to attend the arts open days in Nyon at the beginning of November. We visited museums, art galleries, and numerous artists’ studios, and most importantly, Nina‘s exhibition.

 

(I met an artist in Nyon who is doing something similar to me, using tattooing as part of their artistic practice. And these are the pictures she took for me.)

(A few days before I left, an owl broke into the house.)

For me, the days in Trélex are great, and I love that they have become part of my memories, playing a small role in shaping my future self. What inspires me the most is a discussion about religion and belief, where Nina mentioned that she’s more like an optimist in humanity, choosing to believe in people. I found that truly amazing, and I’m sure it’s one of the reasons the Trélex residency continues to thrive. I genuinely hope it will continue to do well. 

From Zeynep Deniz Çalişkan

15th October - 25th December 2025

As a working artist living and working in the metropolis, it felt good to have a calm working environment in one of the most beautiful places in Switzerland for two months after a chaotic city. 

I didn't go with an idea in my head, I wanted to decide what to work on based on my experience there. In my work, I focus on the forms of the city and everyday life. I am interested in random and conscious choices, temporary structures that come together spontaneously and situations under construction. Since I mainly work with found materials in my practice, I didn't know what to do in the first days of my arrival, but Trelex is a very inspiring place. The studio is quite big and modular, which makes the working process very comfortable. It was also very enjoyable to share the studio with Nina from time to time.

The huge garden of the house was a great source of inspiration for me. On the first day of my arrival, the image of a large number of fireflies surrounding the cabin, which I encountered in the garden while making a tour, formed the basis of my work. I started to think about the relationship of these insects with space and the environment. I think of space as a living organism. It attracted my attention that there were so many that they covered the cabin on a sunny day and almost completely disappeared on a cloudy day. Thinking about these relationships and approaching them as if they were artifacts from an archaeological site, I started making my own insects out of clay. The concrete, fragile structure of clay combined with my intention to capture temporary and variable elements in a physical form. I worked on a site-specific work in which I made many small sculptures consisting of ghostly or shell-like structures and arranged them around the cabin. 

While working on these, I was also fascinated by the cables covering the studio and started to make drawings in various colours. The work stands out as a research that questions the boundaries of organisation and disorder and makes visible the autonomy of materials. The irregularity of the cables on the floor emphasises the technical infrastructure of the flow of electricity and its internal dynamics independent of human control. Likewise, the fluid structure of the cables, strips and the organisation of the floor creates a sense of spatial resistance and mobility. I think that these elements create an aesthetic tension that contradicts the normativity represented by the normative means of regulation. While my work has a more industrial, gray and pale aesthetic, I think I was influenced by Nina's multi-layered and colourful art practice and entered a colourful field. I am grateful for this as it created a different space in my mind.