The Facts
Ugo Rondinone's new public sculpture, "The Sun," was unveiled at Auslandschweizerplatz in Brunnen, Switzerland, on September 16, 2026. The work, created specifically for the square, was commissioned by the Auslandschweizerplatz Brunnen Foundation and marks a new landmark visible from afar. The artist, who was born and raised in Brunnen, designed the piece to evoke the landscape of Lake Lucerne and his personal roots. Festivities began at 3:00 p.m. with speeches and musical accompaniment by the Musikgesellschaft Brunnen and the MAVE Acoustic Duo, followed by Rondinone discussing the work's genesis and meaning.
The Signal
The unveiling underscores a growing trend of major contemporary artists creating site-specific public works in smaller, culturally significant locales, bridging personal history and communal identity. For collectors and curators, Rondinone's engagement with Brunnen—his hometown—adds a layer of biographical resonance to his broader oeuvre, which often explores themes of nature and human emotion. The commission also signals how foundations and municipalities are increasingly partnering with established artists to enhance public spaces, potentially raising the profile of such projects in the art market and attracting cultural tourism to the region.
- Artists: Ugo Rondinone
- Locations: Brunnen
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