Nicolas Cilins (he/him) is a conceptual, video and installation artist from Geneva. A graduate of the Villa Arson in Nice, and the Geneva University of Art and Design, Cilins creates performative situations in which people and communities are invited to cooperate. He has shown his work in artistic and non-artistic institutions in Switzerland, France, Germany, Italy, Greece, Morocco, Russia, Guyana, Vietnam, India and Mexico including museums, art centres, community centres, international organisations, theatres and film festivals.
Solo shows, projections and performances
(selection)
— Museums & Galleries
International Museum of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, CH, 2022
Museum of the Moscow Planetarium, Moskow, RU, 2021
La Rada, Locarno, CH, 2020
Centre d’Art Contemporain, Genève, 2020
Hellerau, Europäisches Zentrum der Künste, Dresden, DE, 2019
MacVal — Musée d'art contemporain du val de marne, Paris, FR, 2018
Museo Vincenzo Vela, CH, 2018
Kunstmuseum Bern, CH, 2017
Palais de la Porte Dorée — Musée National de l’immigration, Paris, FR, 2017
MuCem — Musée des civilisations de l'Europe et de la Méditerannée, Marseille, FR, 2016
Musées d’Art et d’Histoire de Genève, CH, 2015
— Film festivals
Berlinale, Berlin Film Festival, Forum Expanded, DE, 2022
Côté Court, Pantin, Paris, FR, 2022
Mix Festival, Mexico City, MX, 2022
Mix Festival, Milano, IT, 2022
Pune International Film Festival, IN, 2022
FIFDH, Festival du film et forum international des droits humains, Genève, CH, 2018
Les états Généraux du Documentaire, FR, 2017
Berlinale Film Festival, Berlin, DE, 2015
FID, Festival international de cinéma, Marseille, FR, 2012
— Theatre festivals
Theatrum Festival, Golden Mask, Moskow, RU 2021
Nouvelle Scène nationale de Cergy-Pontoise, FR, 2019
Zona K, Milan, IT, 2018
Arsenic, Centre d’art scénique contemporain, CH, 2018
FAB — Festival international des arts de Bordeaux métropole, FR, 2017
La Bâtie, Festival de Genève, CH, 2017
Inteatro, Festival de Ancona, IT, 2017
Far*, festival des arts vivants de Nyon CH 2016
Public collections include:
Arsenal, Institut for film and Video Art, Berlin, Germany
Kunstmuseum Bern, Switzerland
FRAC Poitou-Charentes, France
FCAC Fonds Cantonal d’Art Contemporain de Genève
FMAC Fonds Municipal d’Art Contemporain de la ville de Genève
Cilins' works have been supported by several prizes and awards from private and public institutions:
Geneva Art Award, CH, 2020
Literarisches Colloquium Berlin & Robert Bösch Stiftung, DE, 2019
Swiss Theatre Award (with Cie Yan Duyvendak), CH, 2019
Swiss Art Awards, CH, 2018
Fondation Irène Reymond, CH, 2018
Förderpreis für Videokunst, Bern, CH, 2014
Kiefer Hablitzel prize, Basel, CH, 2013
Cilins had been teaching at Geneva University of Art and Design until 2014. He has also translated W.J.T. Mitchell’s seminal book ’What do pictures want?’ published in France by Les Presses du Réel.
Solo shows, projections and performances
(selection)
— Museums & Galleries
International Museum of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, CH, 2022
Museum of the Moscow Planetarium, Moskow, RU, 2021
La Rada, Locarno, CH, 2020
Centre d’Art Contemporain, Genève, 2020
Hellerau, Europäisches Zentrum der Künste, Dresden, DE, 2019
MacVal — Musée d'art contemporain du val de marne, Paris, FR, 2018
Museo Vincenzo Vela, CH, 2018
Kunstmuseum Bern, CH, 2017
Palais de la Porte Dorée — Musée National de l’immigration, Paris, FR, 2017
MuCem — Musée des civilisations de l'Europe et de la Méditerannée, Marseille, FR, 2016
Musées d’Art et d’Histoire de Genève, CH, 2015
— Film festivals
Berlinale, Berlin Film Festival, Forum Expanded, DE, 2022
Côté Court, Pantin, Paris, FR, 2022
Mix Festival, Mexico City, MX, 2022
Mix Festival, Milano, IT, 2022
Pune International Film Festival, IN, 2022
FIFDH, Festival du film et forum international des droits humains, Genève, CH, 2018
Les états Généraux du Documentaire, FR, 2017
Berlinale Film Festival, Berlin, DE, 2015
FID, Festival international de cinéma, Marseille, FR, 2012
— Theatre festivals
Theatrum Festival, Golden Mask, Moskow, RU 2021
Nouvelle Scène nationale de Cergy-Pontoise, FR, 2019
Zona K, Milan, IT, 2018
Arsenic, Centre d’art scénique contemporain, CH, 2018
FAB — Festival international des arts de Bordeaux métropole, FR, 2017
La Bâtie, Festival de Genève, CH, 2017
Inteatro, Festival de Ancona, IT, 2017
Far*, festival des arts vivants de Nyon CH 2016
Public collections include:
Arsenal, Institut for film and Video Art, Berlin, Germany
Kunstmuseum Bern, Switzerland
FRAC Poitou-Charentes, France
FCAC Fonds Cantonal d’Art Contemporain de Genève
FMAC Fonds Municipal d’Art Contemporain de la ville de Genève
Cilins' works have been supported by several prizes and awards from private and public institutions:
Geneva Art Award, CH, 2020
Literarisches Colloquium Berlin & Robert Bösch Stiftung, DE, 2019
Swiss Theatre Award (with Cie Yan Duyvendak), CH, 2019
Swiss Art Awards, CH, 2018
Fondation Irène Reymond, CH, 2018
Förderpreis für Videokunst, Bern, CH, 2014
Kiefer Hablitzel prize, Basel, CH, 2013
Cilins had been teaching at Geneva University of Art and Design until 2014. He has also translated W.J.T. Mitchell’s seminal book ’What do pictures want?’ published in France by Les Presses du Réel.