Yvonne Wigger & Annabelle Schneider

From the outset of the pandemic, we witnessed how the older populations, due to their age, chronic illnesses, and lack of technological facility, would suffer disproportionately from loneliness as they sheltered in place indefinitely.
Just in time for the change of the year, we made an extensive tour through Zürich’s most vulnerable and isolated communities; We approached more than 15 nursing homes and asked residents what their biggest wishes for the new year was. Residents wrote their wishes on labels, we handed out within enveloped and personally written holiday greeting cards. Each label featured specific questions about dreams, desires and happiness and was returned to us once completed.

It was our goal to further translate and realize those wishes. In collaboration with the nursing home, St. Peter-Paul, who returned the biggest amount of responses, we started to evaluate the wishes. Resulting in the desire for joyful, creative, hands-on activities and an environment that breathes life. Colors, personal notes, natural materials, light and movement – components we embedded in our thinking for developing a permanent summer decoration for the four-story large complex in midst of Zürich.

From corridors, to windows, communal areas and workplaces; vividly colorful strings have been woven around 200 wooden rings. A fun, interactive act of hands on work in collaboration with inhabitants. We later interlaced every single wish into the circular mobiles and free hanging garlands and placed them throughout their entire home. A returning summer decoration featured in corridors, work- and communal areas, in personal bedrooms, on windows, ceilings and stairwells. An act of listening, collaborating, bringing a sparkle of joy, nostalgia and dreams into a place that suffers from isolation and saddened feels the most.

Further impressions here.
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1m3pdNrLyLzLEndTlmdB3ab88y0vLV33-?usp=sharing

Thank you so much
Love and TOY Monique