Janis Polar (*1993) is a Basel-based visual artist and cultural researcher. He investigates ecologies in anthropocentric regimes and his own entanglements in them. His work engages at the intersections of (media) technology, the history of knowledge, natural science, political ecology and personal experiences. His research focus lies on places which have been rendered as ‹last frontiers of nature› as well as landscapes of extraction – sites which he observes in relation to the human and non-human. Janis Polar experiments with image-based media, archives, and found objects which he combines in films, installations and audiovisual performances. His works have been exhibited and performed in Switzerland, Germany, USA, Estonia, China, Poland. He often collaborates with sound artists, scientists and scientific institutions (e.g. ETH Zurich, GEOMAR, National Science Foundation, University of Basel). Janis Polar has received various work, residency, and research grants (e.g. from Pro Helvetia – Swiss Arts Council, Swiss Polar Institute, Cultural Department of Basel, Wild Bits/Tartu 2024, Fieldexplorer, Fundaziun Nairs) and holds BA and MA degrees with distinctions in Cultural Analysis, Film and Literature Studies (University of Zurich). His practice has been further influenced by his transdisciplinary work in curation and art mediation for innovative institutions in their fields such as Fotomuseum Winterthur, Int. Kurzfilmtage Winterthur, Migros Cultural Percentage, as well as for non-institutional projects.

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    Photoforum Pasquart (Bienne, CH), duo show, «Antarctic Archives», Feb–April 2025

    Beijing Art and Technology Biennale (CN), «mangan gardens», group show, Oct. 2024–May 2025

    Photoforum Pasquart (Bienne, CH), «stories of 90°S-empir[e]cism» #3, 16mm av-performance

    focusTerra/ETH Zürich (CH), group show, fixed installation, «gel-[archive]» #5 ] «ex-de-plora», March 2025-June 2026

    Garbicz – Music & Art Festival (Garbicz, PL), tba, group show, July 31st-August 4th, 2025

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    Wild Bits/ Tartu 2024 – European Capital of Culture (EE), group show, «kuker/site», Mai–Sept 2024

    Migros Museum (Zürich, CH), «a case of paranoia», av-performance with elfrid the third & ivan eyes

    Bildrausch Filmfest Basel (CH), «gēotan» #2, 16mm av-performance, with Legion Seven

    Universität Wuppertal (DE), «ex-de-plora» #3, installtion during conference «Frühlingsakademie», March 21st–23rd

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    Currents New Media Festival (Santa Fe, USA), «*gel-[archive]» #4, group show, June 16th–25th

    Stadtkino/Bildrausch Filmfest Basel (CH), «gēotan» #1, fixed installation May 2023–May 2024

    Theater Neumarkt (Zürich, CH), «a case of paranoia», av-performance with elfrid the third & ivan eyes

    Kaserne Basel (CH), «a case of paranoia», av-performance with elfrid the third & ivan eyes

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    Kulturwerk T66 (Freiburg, DE), «ex-de-plora» #2, group show, Regionale 23, Nov 2022–Jan 2023

    DOCK (Basel, CH), «stories of 90°S-empir[e]cism» #2, 16mm av-performance with Vivian Wang & Serafin Aebli

    DOCK (Basel, CH), «*gel-[archive]» #3, solo show, Oct 27th–Dec 6th

    Forum/kHaus (Basel, CH), «stories of 90°S-empir[e]cism» #1, 16mm av-performance with Vivian Wang & Serafin Aebli

    Forum/kHaus (Basel, CH), «ex-de-plora #1», solo show, June 10th–26th

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    Jungkunst, Winterthur (Winterthur, CH), «*gel-[archive]» #2, group show, October 23rd–27th

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    KeinMuseum (Zürich, CH), «*gel-[archive]» #1, solo show, October 1st–10th

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    Int. Kurzfilmtage Winterthur (CH), «autopo[i]etic khaos», av-performance

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    University of the Arts Bern (CH), «autopo[i]etic khaos», master’s diploma shows, av-performance

  • 2024 «PolArts» grant with Dr. Sandra Bruegger, Swiss Polar Institute & Pro Helvetia (CH)

    2024 «START» grant Pro Helvetia – Swiss Arts Council (CH)

    2024 Comission «Beijing Art Technology Biennal (CN)

    2024 Best Swiss Music Video Award, Solothurner Filmtage / m4music (CH)

    2024 Fundaziun Nairs Artist Residency (Scuol, CH)

    2024 Fieldexplorer Research Residency by Fieldstations and Filmexplorer (Berlin, GER)

    2024 Research Grant Pro Helvetia, Swiss Arts Council (Zürich, CH)

    2023 Media Art Grant, Cultural Department Basel (CH)

    2023 Wild Bits Artist Residency & Wild Bits/Tartu 2024 Work Grant, (Tartu, EE)

    2023 Research Grant Cultural Department Basel (CH)

    2022 Media Art Grant, Cultural Department Basel | Ceroni Foundation (CH)

    2022 Exhibition Grant from Futurum Stiftung (CH)

    2021 Media Art Grant, Cultural Department Basel (CH)

  • 2022– Migros Cultural Percentage (Zürich, CH), Coaching, Workshops and Networks for young artists

    2023 Pro Helvetia Shanghai (CN/CH), Research Trip Coach for Naiyi Wang (Curator)

    2020–2022 Fotomuseum Winterthur (CH), Project Lead Art Mediation, Project: «From Print to Pixel»

    2018–2021Int. Kurzfilmtage Winterthur (CH), Co-Curator of contemporary and historical focus programs

    2017–2019 KinoKonkav (Basel, CH) co-founder & co-curation contemporary and historical art film program cycles with invited guests (e.g. with Yuri Ancarani and Pauline Curnier Jardin)

  • 2024 Kanton Luzern (CH)– ST.ART Nachwuchsförderpreis HSLU ART, DESIGN, FILM (Cultural Promotion Award)

    2017–2018 Abteilung Kultur Basel (CH)– Kulturförderpreis (Cultural Promotion Award)

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    EXTREMES - Swiss Society for Quaternary Research / Geological Institute University of Bern, Guest Lecture: «Flood, Storm, Heat, Fire: Images and Imaginations of Ecological Chaos and Catastrophe» (CH).

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    Swiss Photomonth (by Spectrum), Studio Visit, curated by Rahel Christen

    Talk «Art and Design in Post-carbon Era – Carbon as Energy, Life and Currency», Curated by Yixuan, talk, Ming Contemporary Art Museum/Beijing 798 Cube/Complex X

    «RESIDENCIES REVIEW – Sharing as an aesthetic practice», talk Fieldexplorer (Fieldstations & Filmexplorer) about research practices and works-in-progress. Moderated by Dr. Giuseppe Di Salvatore and Prof. Dr. Lidia Gasperoni.

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    Talk with Dimitra Andrescu (Forensic Architecture) and Britta Horlacher (SRF Investigativ) about investigativ media practices and forensic aesthetics, Bildrausch Filmfest Basel

    Talk with Lina about «5 Seasons of Revolution», Bildrausch Filmfest Basel

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    Talk «Art x Science: Transdisciplinary Perspectives on Glacial Ecologies» with Dr. Gianalberto Losapio (Head of Biodiversity Change group, University of Lausanne), Maëlle Cornut (Visual Artist / Researcher), Janis Polar (Visual Artist / Researcher), DOCK, Basel

    Talk «Art x Science: Spatial Research Practices – Artistic and Scientific Expeditions and Explorations» with Prof. Dr. Gabriela Schaepmann-Strub (Earth System Scientist UZH, Scientific Director Swiss Polar Institute), Barbara Schibli (Author) and Janis Polar (Artist), moderated by Carla Peca @ Forum, Basel

    Guest Lecture «Buckminster Fullers Geodesic Domes in Historical and Contemporary Ecocritical Discourses, Art Theory and Practices» @ GTA ETH Zürich

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    Talk «Art x Science: Perspectives on Glacier Retreat and Climate Change» with Dr. Mauro Fischer (Glaciologist at University of Bern), Arian Bastani (Science Journalist) and Janis Polar (Artist / Researcher) @KeinMuseum, Zürich (part of the exhibition *gel-[archive] #1)

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    Talk with Pauline Curnier Jardin in context of a curated program by KinoKonkav, Stadtkino Basel

    Guest lecture, Berufsschule Aarau (Vocational School Aarau)

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    Talk with Yuri Ancarani in the context of curated film program by KinoKonkav in collaboration with Kunsthalle Basel, Stadtkino Basel

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    Master of Arts (University of Zürich): Cultural Analysis / Literature Studies, with visiting programs at University of Basel (Art History & Media Studies) as well as at ETH Zurich (History of Knowledge). Grade: summa cum laude.

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    Bachelor of Arts (University of Zürich): Film Studies / Literature Studies, Grade: magna cum laude.

forensic architecture