02.01.26 - Camera Obscura workshop with artist Julian Salinas

Step into the fascinating world of the camera obscura, the forerunner of the photographic camera, and discover how light can project the outside world into a darkened space.

During this workshop, you will explore the optical principles behind the camera obscura, experiment hands-on, and create unique images under the guidance of the artist. Blending scientific insight with artistic practice, this workshop offers a playful and creative learning experience for everyone.

Whether you are curious, passionate about photography, or simply looking for an original experience, this workshop will give you a fresh perspective on perception and image-making.

A special moment to learn, experiment, and marvel at the simplicity and poetry of this ancient device.

Sunday, February 1, 2026, from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm
(Admission to the Foundation)
Registration recommended

About the artist:
Julian Salinas lives and works in Dornach/SO and Münchenstein/BL. After training as a photographer and attending the Basel School of Design (Department of Photography) he worked as assistant in Switzerland and abroad. Since 1995, Salinas has been realizing selected commercial projects, as well as photo and video works for exhibitions and publications. Since 2013, he has been a lecturer in architectural photography at the FHNW (Institute of Architecture). He is a member of the Haus Oslo Ateliers cooperative in Dreispitz, Basel. Salinas has received numerous awards for his work in the field of art and architecture. For the Fondation Fernet-Branca, he has designed an installation based on the historical technique of the camera obscura. In a world dominated by digital images and visual overload, this project is a conscious gesture of slow looking and mindfulness. It creates a space of silence and contemplation, a place where perception becomes a physical and sensual experience. At the Fondation, the camera obscura is embedded in a contemporary context: as a bridge between tradition and the present, between collective experience and individual reflection. The exhibition makes the connection between external world and inner experience visible and offers viewers the opportunity to view their surroundings (and themselves) from an unfamiliar and altered perspective. The experimental installation is complemented by other works by the artist that deal with the inherent processes of image making and decomposition inherent to the photographic material.