Simon holds a PhD in the history of science from the joint programme of the European University Institute (EUI, Florence) and the École des hautes études en sciences sociales (EHESS, Paris). His doctoral dissertation focused on the drafts and working papers belonging to two natural philosophers of the second half of the 17th century – Galileo’s last disciple Vincenzio Viviani in Florence and Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz in Hannover – and could be described as a work of historical anthropology of knowledge.
By addressing the ink-and-paper materiality of these supposedly purely intellectual operations that scatter the mechanical and physico-mathematical papers of Viviani and Leibniz, he aims at seizing knowledge and scholars in statu nascendi. Studying closely down to the most subtle details of the activity of the scholars’ hands on the paper of their notes, and with the support of anthropology, history of art, literature, or history of emotions, Simon hopes to flesh out anew a historical epistemology too conceptual and positivist still.
2020
Manor Art Prize, Aargauer Kunsthaus, Aarau/CH
Solo show, opening: 24.01.2019, curated by Yasmin Afschar
2019
Swiss Art Awards Nomination, Messehalle 3, Basel, 10.–15. June 2019 Bundesamt für Kultur, Bern
MOST BEAUTIFUL SWISS BOOKS Winner with self-published artist publication "We Say We Are Fine. They Say We Are Not."
20.–23. June 2019 & ongoing international traveling exhibitionHelmhaus Zürich
LE FOYER – IN PROCESS 20.11.2019
ACT 4, N°8: Denise Bertschi, Naturama Natural History Museum, Aarau
2018
ARTIVIST Johannesburg, South Africa 5.9. – 30.10.2018
«NEUTRALITY AS AN AGENT»
Solo exhibition, in the frame of the 20th anniversary of Pro Helvetia in Southern Africa, invited by Joseph Gaylard (SA)
*ALTEFABRIK
Gebert Stiftung für Kultur, Rapperswil
15.9. – 28.10.2018
«FOREVER OR IN A HUNDRED YEARS – Denise Bertschi (CH) and Inas Halabi (Palestine)»
Duo show, curated by Josiane Imhasly
MKG Hamburg Museum für unsere transkulturelle Gegenwart
13.4. – 14.10.2018
«MOBILE WELTEN»
Group exhibition, curated by Roger M. Buergel and Sophia Prinz
*ALTEFABRIK
Gebert Stiftung für Kultur, Rapperswil
24.3. – 6.5.2018 «TARNEN, TÄUSCHEN, IMMITIEREN»
Group exhibition, curated by Josiane Imhasly
LOKAL-INT Biel/Bienne
28.1.2018
Film screening: «NAMIBIA RAWCUT»
2017
JOHANN JACOBS MUSEUM Zürich
29.08.2017 – 28.01.2018 COFFEE FROM HELVÉCIA
Curated by Marcelo Rezende (Archiv der Avant-Garden Dresden)
2016
AUSWAHL 16, AARGAUER KUNSTHAUS
Group show, winner of NAB Förderpreis 2016
KUNSTVEREIN Zürich
MANIFESTA Zürich – PARALLEL EVENTS
«How to Waste time, with Denise Bertschi»
Performance-Series, curated by Nico Ruffo and Nele Dechmann
CORNER COLLEGE Zürich
8.12.2015 – 28.1.2016
«COLD.WAR.HOT.STARS»
Group show, curated by Dimitrina Sevova
ROSABRUX, Brüssel
27.1.2015 «PROTECTION ROOM»
Group show
WITS University of the Arts, Johannesburg/SA
12.2.–22.2.2015
«POETICS OF RELATION»
Exhibition project, initiated by Uriel Orlow and Bettina Malcomess
2014
Artsonje Art Center, Seoul South Korea
«Territories of Assembly» Curated by Markus Miessen, Berlin
LiveInYourHead, Genève
«MANDATORY PASSIVITY»
Group show, curated by Lars Bang Larsen
