Ariane Varela Braga – författare

This volume commemorates the 160th anniversary of the Selamlik of Oberhofen Castle near Thun – one of the most significant Swiss Orientalist interiors, designed by the Bernese architect Theodor Zeerleder (1820–1868) – by presenting the latest research on the spectacular smoking room inspired by the luxurious reception halls in Cairo, which Zeerleder discovered during his travels to the East. At the same time, this collection of essays explores the significance of the famous city on the Nile as a privileged model for 19th-century architecture and ornamentation, bringing together papers by Mercedes Volait (Paris), Romain Siegenfuhr (Paris), Richard Parisot (Besançon), Elke Pflugradt-Abdel Aziz (Düsseldorf), Tarek Ibrahim (Berlin), Vincenza Garofalo (Palermo), Andrea Lermer (München), Rémi Labrusse (Paris), Ariane Varela Braga (Zürich), Leïla el-Wakil (Genève), Francine Giese (Zürich) and Annette Loeffel (Bern).

This volume intends to foster a re-interpretation of the Nasrid architecture of the Alhambra in Granada and its post-Islamic appropriation and global diffusion. Taking into account the current debates on otherness, cultural exchange and artistic transfer, hybridization, stylistic renewal and national identity building, this collection of essays explores the significance of the Alhambra from the Nasrid period to the present time. Built as a military fortress and gradually enlarged to a multi-functional palace city, by the 19th century the Alhambra became a symbol of exoticism and reverie. As one of the most important legacies of the Islamic heritage of al-Andalus, its role as a mediator between East and West is more important than ever.

The series Worlds of Islam of the Swiss Asia Society publishes high-quality research on present-day and historical Islamic cultures and societies covering fields such as history, literature, philosophy, politics and arts, as well as interpretations and translations of primary sources. Furthermore the series presents studies focusing on current topics and affairs appealing not only to the academic public, but also to a public generally interested in the Islamic World. The series provides a forum for scholarly work in the fields of humanities and social sciences in Switzerland. However, the series is also committed to the rich variety of studies and writing on the Islamic World in the international research community. The principal languages of publication of monographs and anthologies are German, French and English. The series is supervised by an editorial board which is advised by representatives in Islamic Studies.

Carlo Scarpa (1906–1978) was an influential Italian architect and designer whose handling of materials, craftsmanship, and detail made him a major figure in 20th-century architecture. Written by Swiss and Italian experts, this book compares Scarpa’s aesthetic experiments with stained glass in Venice during the 1920s and 1930s with the work of several important 20th-century Swiss artists: Edmond Bille, Bodjol, Charles Hindenlang, Felix Hoffmann, Burkhard Mangold, Robert Schär, Otto Staiger, Hans Stocker and Peter Travaglini, among others. Special attention is paid to Scarpa’s early experimentation with little-known projects for the Venetian glassworks M.V.M. Cappellin & C.: a set of stained-glass windows that reveal key aspects of his emerging approach to the material, light and craftsmanship.Dedicated to one of Italy’s most important 20th-century architects and designersFocuses on Scarpa’s stained glass designs, little known to date Links Scarpa’s early experiments in the decorative arts with his later architectural achievements

The texts and interview included in this catalogue shed new light on Cybèle Varela's contribution to Latin American and international artistic discourses, including Pop Art, Narrative Figuration and Video Art. Questions of identity, social and political issues and transnational experiences are central to Varela's multifaceted production, from the 1960s to the present day.Text in English, German and Portuguese.