50 YEARS OF ART BRUT IN LAUSANNE: Anniversary programme announced for 2026-27

Founded in 1976 to house the collection donated by painter Jean Dubuffet (1901–1985), the museum was the first public institution in the world dedicated entirely to the study, conservation and presentation of Art Brut. Today it is home to over 70,000 works, drawings, paintings, sculptures, photographs and textiles, created by self-taught artists working outside the traditional art world. 

The term “Art Brut” came to him in 1945 during a trip to Switzerland, where Jean Dubuffet visited asylums, psychiatric hospitals, and prisons. According to Dubuffet, Art Brut is characterised by “works created outside the influence of traditional art, while appealing to the deepest layers of the human being.”

Dubuffet considered Switzerland something of a “touchstone for anti-cultural anarchists” and thought it was the most suitable location for his collection; in 1971, he donated his Art Brut collection to the City of Lausanne and in 1976, the Collection de l’Art Brut was founded.

Since then, this municipal museum has grown through numerous acquisitions and donations, bringing together a wide range of works, including drawings, paintings, sculptures, assemblages, photographs, and textile works.

Today, this internationally renowned institution is known for the richness and diversity of its collections as well as its unique historical significance. It was also the first public museum in the world dedicated entirely to the study, conservation, and presentation of Art Brut.

Outside of the Collection de l’Art Brut, those wanting to expand their Art Brut journey should pay a visit to La Ferme des Tilleuls in Renens, 15 minutes by train from Lausanne. The French self-taught artist Danielle Jacqui (1934) bequeathed a work of art to the art space named Colossal d’Art Brut ORGANuGAMME II, an impressive 14m-high ceramic piece made up of 4,000 unique sculptural elements that were erected into a permanent structure on the site in 2022. From 12th February to 21st June 2026 La Ferme des Tilleuls will also be showing “Maisons-mères”, an exhibition that takes viewers on a journey to discover alternative architectures, imagined, built, and inhabited by individuals guided by their utopian ideals.

The raw passion of the Art Brut movement has inspired many seminal figures, not only in art, but in music and fashion as well. Here are quotes from just a few figureheads who felt the impact of Dubuffet’s movement on their artistic works: 

David Bowie 
“Switzerland also allowed me to discover Art Brut, which had a very strong impact on my life and my creativity. I remember bringing Brian Eno to the Lausanne museum and spending hours there admiring the works, reflecting on the creative process and on the boundaries an artist is willing to cross in their quest…” 
L’Hebdo, 06.06.2002 

Thom Yorke 
“I was so looking forward to finally coming here. This has surpassed my expectations. It really is the best museum I have ever visited. Thank you.” 
Guestbook, 15.08.2006 

Christian Lacroix 
“I have always been fascinated by Art Brut. I remember a dress embroidered by one of the solitary artists, hidden under her bed. That impresses me far more than anything in the Louvre.” 
Le Temps, 12.07.2008 

February - October 2026:  

Swiss Art Brut 
From the Origins of the Collection to the Present  
Curated by Sarah Lombardi 

This exhibition will present a wide range of works including drawings, paintings, sculptures, embroidery and writing, exclusively from the Lausanne museum’s collection. Some belong to the historical core collection of Jean Dubuffet, while others are contemporary, added between 1976 and now. 

All works will have been created by Swiss Art Brut authors or artists who created in Switzerland. 

With Switzerland as its central theme, the exhibition highlights the strong and lasting ties between Jean Dubuffet and the country, which led him to donate his collection to Lausanne to ensure its preservation and public accessibility. 

Unpublished archival materials and excerpts from documentaries, including those produced by Radio Télévision Suisse (RTS), will complement the exhibition. 

November 2026 - April 2027:  

The World of Armand Schulthess 
Curated by Hans-Ulrich Schlumpf, film maker 

The second anniversary exhibition will focus on the Swiss-German Art Brut creator Armand Schulthess (1901–1972). 

A former Swiss federal employee in Bern, Schulthess created a vast artistic environment in Ticino, now completely gone. This in-situ work consisted of countless objects and installations made from reclaimed metal plates, engraved with inscriptions containing encyclopedic knowledge, especially related to science and philosophy. 

The exhibition will present over 300 pieces that were preserved and acquired by the museum in 2024, significantly enriching its existing holdings. 

These objects will be shown alongside large-format photographs by Hans-Ulrich Schlumpf, who documented and preserved this monumental work before its destruction. 

PRACTICAL INFORMATION 

• Entry costs 12 CHF (approx £11) 

• Free entry during the opening weekend of the 50th anniversary of the Collection de l'Art Brut: 27th-29th February 2026 

• Open Tuesday to Sunday, 11am- 6pm. Also open Mondays (11am-6pm) in July and August 

• Free entry on the first Saturday of each month 

• 25-minute walk from Lausanne train station. Nearest bus stops: Jomini or Beaulieu. 

• Address: Collection de l’Art Brut, Avenue des Bergières 11, CH – 1004 Lausanne 

-ENDS-  

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