Overview
- The Fondation Beyeler near Basel invited people to tour its Paul Cézanne show in swimwear on Friday, echoing the painter’s bathers.
- Visitors who arrived in swimwear entered for free, while the regular ticket price was about 25 Swiss francs.
- The museum provided a changing room and stationed two lifesavers in the garden, and many participants lounged on the lawn or walked barefoot.
- Attendees described the day as playful or “absurd,” with some saying they felt like part of the art, while others found the attire distracted from viewing the paintings.
- The foundation credited the concept to artist Maurizio Cattelan and presented it as a light participatory experiment in step with museums’ growing taste for experiential programs.