In 2010 the Aargauer Kunsthaus in Aarau was able to acquire the Installation Wirtschaftslandschaft Davos by Thomas Hirschhorn with funds provided by the Aargauischer Kunstverein and additional support from the Federal Cultural Office. Both artistically and in terms of content the acquisition is a perfect addition to this museum of Swiss art.

In this large-size, walkable panorama the artist depicts the transformation of the mountain village of Davos from a sunlit, fashionable spa immortalised in literature and the visual arts into a riot-stricken high-security zone making international headlines at the time of the World Economic Forum. For his works Hirschhorn makes unconventional use of “poor” materials and all kinds of items culled from flea markets and discount stores, while also incorporating books and documents that relate to the works’ subjects.

Thomas Hirschhorn owes his reputation in particular to the political quality of his work and his uncompromising way of tackling social issues. Provocative elements are essential to his artistic strategy.