I am a freelance photographer specializing in portrait and reportage photography. In addition to commissioned work, I pursue my own projects with artistic aspirations. I don’t actually need a certificate to take the next step in my career, but I have always enjoyed continuing my education. My profession requires openness, curiosity and flexibility. That’s how I discovered the CAS Creationship and used it to work a lot on my stance and to develop on a personal level. I had already been applying much of the programme contents subliminally, both professionally and privately. Then the new CAS Creativity Coaching programme came at the right time.
I would urge anyone who wants to further their education to include the personal level. It’s a wonderful opportunity to enrich yourself in an arts context. I find being part of a class very stimulating and appreciate being able to exchange ideas and experiences in a dynamic, constantly evolving setting. The group constellation promotes an inspiring and supportive atmosphere. I have become much more relaxed in dealing with my surroundings and enjoy interacting with as many different people as possible.
My project for the MAS Creative Practice also explores interpersonal dynamics: it features a group of artists who meet at a former hotel to collaboratively produce a work of art. It’s about understanding and dialogue, about bringing spaces to life together, for example, with an exhibition or a video production. I’m interested in the idea of a temporary creative commune: What is it like to immerse ourselves completely in a creative community for a while before returning to everyday life?
I think that exploring and immersing ourselves in contrasting worlds—in other words, not just moving inside our “bubble”—can make us curious and evoke ideas. I find ideas and inspiration when switching between city life in Zurich and the mountains where I grew up.
A visual inventory: The silent decay of Bellevue
This photo series documents the silent presence of a place that has been empty for years: the Royal Hotel Bellevue in Kandersteg.
Once a place full of elegance, five stars and sometimes a member of the renowned „Small Luxury Hotels of the World“ association, the hotel now stands untouched in the village – a silent witness to transience, whose future remains uncertain due to the constant threat of the „Spitzer Stein" in the danger zone.
Since the last guests left, the hotel seems frozen in time, untouched by human hands – only wild animals try to conquer the abandoned rooms for themselves.
„Last but not least, this place evokes a strong memory for me, as my grandparents lived right next door to the hotel. From their garden, as a young boy, I could watch the hotel guests on horseback in the neighbouring riding arena, over the blackcurrant bushes – a memory that has remained etched in my mind,“ explains Michael Sieber.
This series is not just a visual survey, but also an invitation to discover the hidden stories of a place that hovers between decay and memory. The melancholy and fragile grace of decay encourages us to reflect on the transformation of space, time and human presence and absence.