This book brings to life the artistic and literary community that flourished in Carona, Ticino, from 1968 to 1978. Centered on Swiss artist David Weiss (1946–2012) and his circle of friends, it explores their works, processes, and the communal spirit that fueled artistic experimentation. In the 1920s–30s, Carona attracted figures like Maria Braun, Hermann Hesse, Karl Hofer, Kurt Kläber, Niklaus Stoecklin, Lisa Tetzner, and Lisa Wenger. From 1968 to 1978, Casa Aprile became a gathering place for a new generation of artists and writers. This publication examines the utopian dreams, artistic vitality, and spirit of the era through the work of David Weiss, Esther Altorfer, Anton Bruhin, Maria Gregor, Penelope Margaret Mackworth-Praed, Matthyas Jenny, Urs Lüthi, Meret Oppenheim, Iwan Schumacher, Peter Schweri, and Willy Spiller. Through essays by peers, curators, and critics— drawing from archival materials and oral histories—the book illuminates the artistic community’s legacy, historical context, origins, and evolution while presenting new scholarly findings. The Dream of Casa Aprile reconstructs this collaborative network in a visually rich, playful way, capturing the period’s essence.With texts by Bice Curiger, Stephan Kunz, Virginia Marano, Andreas Schwab, and Stefan Zweifel, and a preface by Tobia Bezzola. Co-published with MASI Lugano in conjunction with the exhibition David Weiss. The Dream of Casa Aprile: Carona 1968–1978 (Sept 28, 2025–Feb 1, 2026). This publication is available in an Italian/German and an Italian/English edition.
