Starting on 16th May 2008, the Helmhaus Zurich is the very place in the heart of Zurich where football and culture celebrate a harmonious relationship: In the exhibition "balls & brains", works by artists, actors and actresses and musicians are combined with journalistic research which focuses on the darker and brighter sides of football in general. In addition to this, a rich calendar of events, is offered, too.

Stefan Gubser: Shi Jun (FC Luzern), erster Chinese im Schweizer Profi-Fussball im Gespräch, 2008

© Stefan Gubser

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Football will actively be played in the museum, on a pitch exclusively created by artists: at the EUVOR 08 children, the youth, mentally handicapped people as well as the exhibition-goers play their own championship in especially organised tournaments. "balls & brains" is the name of this exhibition as in football – and not only there – both elements are needed: courage and stamina as well as strategy and cunning. Besides recently produced works of art, the exhibition contains journalistic research on little investigated topics of football. The spectrum ranges from magic moments in world football, to migration movements which are also visible in this sport, to portraits of players who were forced to stop their careers due to injuries and to biographies which ended in prison. Since football will be played right in the Helmhaus, too, the exhibition with its varied programme is also highly suitable for schools and families alike, as well as for art-lovers or football enthusiasts.

Gianni Motti: Sans titre, 2004

installation Stade de Genève
© Helmhaus Zürich

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Co-Curator: Simon Maurer, Director Helmhaus Zurich
Co-Curator: Daniel Binggeli