On 4 May 1971 the Stiftung für die Photographie (Foundation for Photography) was founded in Zurich with the aim of “wresting” important works of Swiss photography “from oblivion and making them accessible to a wider public through exhibitions, publications, magazines, newspapers, films, television” etc., to quote the foundation document. What may seem self¬evident today was actually pioneering at the time, given that until then no one in Switzerland had ever seriously considered preserving, studying or exhibiting photographs. The founders of the oldest Swiss photography institution were personalities who were professionally involved with images and regarded photography as a key medium of our visual age – in everyday life, in the media, in advertising, in art and in the sciences.
The young Foundation broke new ground with its very first large-scale exhibition and book project entitled Photographie in der Schweiz von 1840 bis heute (1974): for the first time ever, the photo-historical developments that had granted Switzerland a rich photography culture and a wealth of outstanding works were highlighted. Soon afterwards the Foundation was able to occupy rooms in the Kunsthaus Zürich and broaden its activities – its first exhibition was devoted to Robert Frank. Under the directorship of Walter Binder and Rosellina Burri-Bischof (until 1985), more than 100 exhibitions were organised, and some of them – such as the large survey exhibition of Swiss Photography – toured the world for many years. In addition to this, a prestigious collection was built up, estates and archives secured and numerous books published. As the Foundation was national in scope, it was soon acknowledged by the Confederation as indispensable for the national photographic heritage and granted subsidies; as of 1989, it was permitted to call itself Schweizerische Stiftung für die Photographie (Swiss Foundation for Photography).
In 1998 Walter Binder, executive director for many years, resigned. Since then, the Foundation has been directed by Peter Pfrunder and Martin Gasser. In 2003 it moved to Winterthur and since then has been called the Fotostiftung Schweiz. The change of domicile became necessary because the space available at the Kunsthaus Zürich was too confined for the ever-growing collection, and under the roof of a pure art institution the Foundation was unable to expand its activities – from archiving to exhibiting, from research to teaching. Moreover, thanks to the support of the Volkart Foundation, the opportunity arose of building a home of its own, together with the Fotomuseum Winterthur, on a vacated industrial site. The decisive factor for this re¬positioning, however, was the willingness of the Confederation to recognise the Foundation as a major partner of the state in the field of photography and to significantly increase its subsidies.
That the newly established Centre of Photography, operated jointly by the Fotostiftung Schweiz and the Fotomuseum Winterthur, is a model for success is evident not only in the broad interest it has awakened among the general public (around 50’000 visitors p.a.), but also in the fact that more and more photographers are entrusting their works to the Fotostiftung Schweiz for their long-term preservation. In association with the Fotomuseum Winterthur in particular, the Fotostiftung has also gained an international profile, as reflected, among other things, in its collaboration with museums throughout Europe.
Peter Pfrunder
