biography

Born in Basel, Switzerland, 1949. Lives and works in Basel and Bergell (GR), Switzerland. Miriam Cahn was part of the generation that, at a young age, witnessed the footage of nuclear testing at Bikini Atoll; influenced by the further historical context of the scientists–predominantly Jewish, like Cahn–who both invented the atom bomb and opposed its use. Cahn has repeatedly painted watercolors taking the discord between the beauty and the ethics of the atom bomb as their theme. Her oil paintings, on the other hand, include a number of themes, such as humans, plants and animals, and architecture, each of which is explored individually. In her images of humans, in particular, people are at times painted in vibrant colors standing motionless against dusky toned landscapes. Cahn’s paintings, which lack the clear, explicit lines used to bring out individual beings, might be understood as hinting toward harmonization or fusion, rather than strict boundaries. They confront their viewers, however, with a cold, salvationless world, questioning the nature of humans under the difficult situations in this era of uncertainty.

Full CV (PDF)
survey
undarstellbar
15.5.+5.6.+11.7.2022, oil on canvas, 200.5 × 110.5 cm, photo: Keizo Kioku
unser meeresboden
4. + 13.1.2022, oil on wood, 90.2 × 170.3 cm, photo: Keizo Kioku
das schöne blau
2.9.2022,mixed media on paper, set of 4 sheets, overall 33 × 149 cm, private collection
in meinem garten
23.8.2019, oil on wood, 200.1 × 125 cm, photo: Keizo Kioku
gebären 
3. + 17.1.2019, oil on wood, 65 × 60 cm
Eileen Grays haus (le corbusier zugordnet)
2007 + 17.03.2019, oil on canvas , 71 × 93 cm, private collection
gezeichnet
28.02.2019, oil on canvas, 164.8 × 80.5 cm, private collection
schnell weg!
2010 + 09.03.2018, oil on canvas, 199.5 × 190.0 cm, private collection
hausbau (sakralbau)
16. + 23.07.2018, oil on canvas, 180.5 × 195.0 cm, collection of Winsing Art Foundation
lachenmüssen
24.08.2018, oil on canvas, 140.2 × 100.2 cm, private collection
5 min.bild
01.11.2018, oil on wood, 28.9 × 26.2 cm, private collection
o.t.
15.05.2017, pastel on paper, 85.6 × 58.1 cm ; 93.5 × 65.2 cm (framed), private collection
o.t.
2008+05.02.2017, oil on canvas, 170.2 × 135.5 cm, private collection
gestern im TV gesehen ( brad pitt in "tree of life" )
11.12.2014, oil on canvas mounted on wood, 31.3 × 29 cm, private collection
hier wurde ich im traum verlassen
2006, oil on canvas, 100.5 × 110.4 cm, private collection
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