Due to the rainy forecast for the afternoon and evening of Saturday, July 19, we have taken the decision to move the entire program of the sixth edition of our yearly Derek Jarman-focused event Modern Nature to Friday, July 18.

This was not an easy decision to make, but it felt inconceivable to imagine the event unfolding under such adverse conditions, especially considering the incredible work the invited artists have put into their contributions.

All of the performances prepared by our guests were specifically conceived for the Derek Jarman-inspired garden of La Becque. They were envisioned as open-air experiences in direct dialogue with the landscape, the light, and.. the elements, up to a certain point.

The heavy rains expected on Saturday would have however necessitated moving most of these contributions into less adapted indoor spaces, thereby severely disrupting this essential connection between the works and their environment.

By moving the event forward by one day, we hope to preserve the spirit of Modern Nature and offer both artists and audiences the experience that was originally intended.

Thank you for your understanding — we look forward to welcoming you this Friday, July 18, from 4:30pm in the garden of La Becque.

 

Launched in 2019, Modern Nature is a public program paying tribute to English filmmaker, writer, activist, and gardener Derek Jarman. Inspired by his life and his iconic Prospect Cottage garden in Dungeness, the event explores intersections between ecology, transmission, experimental artistic practices, and queer thought. Each year, Swiss and international artists are invited to create performances, installations, screenings, and sound interventions designed for La Becque’s gardens on the shores of Lake Geneva.

 

The 2025 edition draws inspiration from Jarman’s only known work of short fiction, Through the Billboard Promised Land Without Ever Stopping—a poetic, surreal road story that blurs memory, prophecy, and drift. Curated by Vanessa Cimorelli, this year’s program features works that feel like transmissions from liminal zones: ghost frequencies, sonic mirages, flickering signals.

 

Program
16:30 Door opening

17:00 Welcome words from Luc Meier and Vanessa Cimorelli
17:30 Will Ballantyne-Reid – An Echo, a Dream, a Story (conversation with Vanessa Cimorelli)
19:00 Erell Le Pape & Loréleï Nelle – Trembleuments, ou Derek dans la baleine (performance)
20:30 Damsel Elysium – Ballet for Instruments (performance)
22:00 Nkisi & Tiran Willemse – A Work in Process (performance)
23:30 Aho Ssan & ASIA – 100 Soleils (concert)

 

Ongoing 16:30-22:00
Time is Away – Oracle (installation at the Temple Saint-Théodule, Grand-Rue 38, 1814 La Tour-de-Peilz)

 

The event is free and open to everyone. On-site bar and food by Céleste (Vevey). No parking available at La Becque — please use public transportation or the Remparts Parking in La Tour-de-Peilz.

Modern Nature, La Becque, 2024, photo Julien Gremaud

La Becque is pleased to invite you to the summer session of the traditional Open Studios on Saturday, July 26 from noon to 6 pm. During this open day, the residents will exceptionally open the doors of their studios and apartments for presentations of their current projects.

 

Come discover the work of Amor Muñoz, alfatih, Loucia Carlier, Diambe, Invernomuto, Phoenix Atala, Sorour Darabi and Gary Zhexi Zhang, and enjoy installations and performances created especially for this event.

 

A unique opportunity to meet these artists and share a moment around a drink and some food.

 

The event is free and open to all. No parking on site, please use public transport or the Parking des Remparts in La Tour-de-Peilz.

La Becque turns 5, 2024, photo Emilien Itim