The Exhibition Saffa 1928, 1958 ... 1988? Und heute: A Collaborative, Experimental, and Low-Cost Architecture of Display

The exhibition SAFFA 1928, 1958 ... 1988? Und heute: Ein Projekt von Inès Lamunière, Flora Ruchat- Roncati und Beate Schnitter held at the Schweizerisches Architekturmuseum in Basel in 1989, commemorated the Schweizerische Ausstellung für Frauenarbeit (SAFFA) exhibitions held in1928 and 1958 on Swiss women’s work and reflected on women’s navigation of professional, private, and public spheres. The project was the joint work of three women architects, Inès Lamunière, Flora Ruchat-Roncati, and Beate Schnitter, who handled everything from the selection of the exhibits to the design of the furniture and the scenography of the display. This intergenerational and intercultural collaboration yielded a novel exhibition structure: the installations formulated a different theoretical statement on each theme and had a distinct architectural atmosphere. The article examines the commemorative context and the collaborative approach of the exhibition, highlighting its lasting impact along with the role of the curators and the participants and thus touching on many aspects in today’s feminist curating practice.