Pierre Jeanneret and Chandigarh | A Modernist at Home
Pierre Jeanneret, Swiss architect and cousin of Le Corbusier, played a crucial role in the creation of Chandigarh in post-independence India. A committed modernist, he lived in the city for 15 years, adapting his vision to the local culture. His connection with Chandigarh was profound: he immersed himself in Indian life, forged lasting relationships, and accompanied the city through its formative years. His wish to have his ashes scattered in Sukhna Lake reveals the deep emotional bond he developed with the place he came to call home.
A Modernist at Home was part of People in Motion, a collective exhibition exploring migration, displacement, belonging and the encounters that emerge from movement between places, cultures and identities. Curated by Roberto Cremascoli, the project brings together artists and writers whose practices approach the experience of movement from different perspectives, creating a dialogue between photography, literature, architecture and visual art.
Presented within the remarkable spaces of the Monastery of Leça do Balio, the exhibition considers migration not only as a physical journey, but also as an experience of transformation, memory, adaptation and encounter. The historical architecture of the monastery provides a powerful setting for this reflection, connecting the movement of people across borders and territories with the layers of history embedded in the place itself.
The exhibition featured works by Álvaro Siza, Mónica de Miranda, Afonso Cruz, Dulce Maria Cardoso, Gonçalo M. Tavares, Isabel Lucas, José Luís Peixoto, Attilio Fiumarella, Inês d’Orey, Nuno Cera, Paulo Catrica, Rita Burmester, Marco Cremascoli and Rita Nery.
The project was accompanied by a book/catalogue that extends and documents the exhibition, bringing together the participating artists and writers and preserving the different perspectives that shape People in Motion.
