Pipilotti Rist facts for kids

Pipilotti Elisabeth Rist (born June 21, 1962) is a famous Swiss artist. She is best known for her amazing video art and installation art. Her art often feels dreamlike and focuses on the human body in a unique way.

Pipilotti Rist's work uses many senses at once. She projects colorful images that overlap. These are combined with sounds to create a special environment. Viewers can relax and enjoy the art in these spaces. Her art often changes how a gallery feels. It makes it a more exciting place to see, hear, and touch.

Early Life and Learning

Pipilotti Rist grew up in the Rhine Valley in Switzerland. Her father was a doctor and her mother was a teacher. In 1982, she started using the name "Pipilotti." This name combines her childhood nickname "Lotti" with her favorite hero, Pippi Longstocking. Pippi Longstocking is a character from a book by Astrid Lindgren.

Before studying art, Rist studied physics for a short time. From 1982 to 1986, she studied art, illustration, and photography. She went to the University of Applied Arts Vienna in Vienna. Later, she studied video at the Basel School of Design in Switzerland.

From 1988 to 1994, she was part of a music and performance group. The group was called Les Reines Prochaines. In 1997, her art was shown at the Venice Biennial for the first time. She won the Premio 2000 Prize there. She also taught at UCLA as a visiting teacher from 2002 to 2003.

Exploring Pipilotti Rist's Art

I'm Not The Girl Who Misses Much (Film still, 1986)

Sip My Ocean (Installation view, 1996)

The Room/Das Zimmer (Film still, Kunsthalle Sankt Gallen 1994/2000)

Pepperminta (Film still, 2009)

Pipilotti Rist started making short films while she was studying. Her videos are usually only a few minutes long. They often look like TV shows or commercials. But she changes the colors, speed, and sounds. Her art often explores ideas about people and their bodies.

Her art is full of color and music. It often makes people feel happy and simple. Many art experts see her work as supporting women's rights. Her art is kept in many important art collections around the world.

Key Video Artworks Explained

I'm Not The Girl Who Misses Much (1986)

In this video, Rist dances in front of a camera. The images are often blurry and in one color. Rist sings "I'm not the girl who misses much" over and over. This line comes from a song by the Beatles. As the video ends, the image becomes blue and blurry. The sound also stops.

Sip My Ocean (1996)

Sip My Ocean is an art piece with video and sound. It is projected onto two walls, creating a mirrored image. You can see things like a TV and teacups slowly sinking underwater. The video also shows dreamlike scenes of people swimming. There are also sadder images, like colorful roses over the sky. The visuals are a bit abstract and layered. They invite you to look deeper. Rist sings a song called "Wicked Game" with the video. Her voice starts sweet but then gets out of sync with the music. It ends with a loud chorus. This shows how people want to connect but sometimes can't.

Ever Is Over All (1997)

This video shows a young woman walking slowly down a city street. She uses a large hammer shaped like a tropical flower to smash car windows. At one point, a police officer greets her. This video art piece was bought by the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.

Pour Your Body Out (2009)

This was a large art installation at the Museum of Modern Art. Rist chose the museum's main hall for this art. She said it reminded her of a church. She wanted her art to bring together ideas of spirit and body.

Pepperminta (2009)

This was Pipilotti Rist's first full-length movie. It was shown for the first time in 2009. She said the movie is about a young woman and her friends. They try to find the right color mixes. With these colors, they want to help people feel less afraid and make life better.

Rist has compared her videos to women's handbags. She hopes they have "room in them for everything." This includes painting, music, and friendly feelings.

Life Outside of Art

Pipilotti Rist lives and works in Zurich, Switzerland. She lives with her partner, Balz Roth, who is a business person. They have a son named Himalaya.

Where Her Art Is Kept

Pipilotti Rist's art is in many famous museums. These include the Museum of Modern Art, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Her art piece, TV-Lüster, is always on display at the Kunstmuseum St. Gallen.

How She Influenced Others

In 2016, the singer Beyoncé used an idea from Rist's Ever Is Over All. In a film for her album Lemonade, Beyoncé is seen smashing car windows. This was similar to Rist's artwork.

Works by Pipilotti Rist

Art in Buildings and Public Spaces

• since 1995: Flying Room. Video on the ceiling of the UBS entrance hall, Buchs, St. Gallen
• 2000 and 2017: Open my Glade. Video art at Times Square, New York
• since 2001: Ein Blatt im Wind (A Leaf in the Wind). At the Swiss Embassy in Berlin, Germany
• since 2005: Stadtlounge (City lounge). Design for a square and street in St. Gallen, with Carlos Martinez
• since 2010: Ceiling art in the restaurant Le Loft in Vienna
• since 2014: Münsteranerin. Video art at the Museum für Kunst und Kultur in Münster, Germany
• since 2016: Monochrome Rose. A pink streetcar train in Geneva
• since 2020: Tastende Lichter (Inching lights). Video art on the outside of Kunsthaus Zürich

Video Artworks

• 1986: I’m Not The Girl Who Misses Much
• 1988: Das Zimmer (1994/2000)(Entlastungen) Pipilottis Fehler
• 1992/1999: Eine Spitze in den Westen – ein Blick in den Osten (A Peek Into The West – A Look Into The East)
• 1993: Blutraum (Blood room)
• 1993: Eindrücke verdauen (Digesting Impressions)
• 1993: Schminktischlein mit Feedback (Little Make-Up Table With Feedback)
• 1993: TV-Lüster
• 1994/99: Cintia
• 1994/2000/2007: Das Zimmer (The Room)
• 1994: Selbstlos im Lavabad
• 1994: Yoghurt On Skin – Velvet On TV
• 1995: Search Wolken / Suche Clouds (elektronischer Heiratsantrag) (Search Wolken / Such Clouds (Electronic Marriage Proposal))
• 1996: Sip My Ocean (Schlürfe meinen Ozean)
• 1997: Ever Is Over All
• 1998: Blauer Leibesbrief (Blue Bodily Lettre)
• 1999/2001, 2007, 2009: Kleines Vorstadthirn (Small Suburb Brain)
• 1999: Himalaya Goldsteins Stube (Himalaya Goldstein’s Living Room)
• 2000: Öffne meine Lichtung (Open my Glade (Flatten))
• 2000: Himalaya’s Sister’s Living Room
• 2000: Peeping Freedom Shutters for Olga Shapir
• 2000/2001: Supersubjektiv (Super Subjective)
• 2001/2005: Wach auf (Despierta)
• 2001: Expecting
• 2002: Der Kuchen steht in Flammen (The Cake is in Flames)
• 2003: Apfelbaum unschuldig auf dem Diamantenhügel (Apple Tree Innocent On Diamond Hill) (Manzano inocente en la colina de diamantes)
• 2004: Herz aufwühlen Herz ausspülen (Stir Heart Rinse Heart)
• 2005: Eine Freiheitsstatue für Löndön (A Liberty Statue for Löndön)
• 2005: Homo Sapiens Sapiens
• 2006: Celle selbst zu zweit, by Gutararist aka Gudrun Gut & Pipilotti Rist
• 2007: Ginas Mobile (Gina’s Mobile)
• 2008: Erleuchte (und kläre) meinen Raum (Enlight My Space )
• 2011: Cape Cod Chandelier
• 2014: Worry Will Vanish Horizon
• 2015: Wir verwurzeln (Seelenfarben)
• 2016: Pixelwald
• 2016: 4th Floor To Mildness
• 2017: Caressing Dinner Circle (Tender Roundelay Family) 5er table
• 2018: Sparkling Pond, Bold-Coloured Groove & Tender Fire (Please Walk In And Let The Colors Caress You)
• 2020: Fritzflasche (The Bottle of Fritz)
• 2023: Hand Me Your Trust

Feature Film

• 2009: Pepperminta

Awards and Honors

Pipilotti Rist has received many awards for her art:

• 1997 – Renta Preis of the Kunsthalle Nürnberg
• 1998 – Nominated for the Hugo Boss Prize
• 1999 – Wolfgang Hahn Prize
• 2003 – Honorary Professorship from Berlin University of the Arts
• 2006 – Honored by the Guggenheim Museums Young Collector's Council
• 2007 – St. Galler Kulturpreis
• 2009 – Special Award, Seville European Film Festival
• 2009 – Joan Miró Prize, Barcelona
• 2009 – Best Exhibition Of Digital, Video, or Film for "Pour Your Body Out" at Museum of Modern Art, New York.
• 2010 – Cutting the Edge Award, Miami International Film Festival
• 2011 – Best Architects '11 Award
• 2012 – International Artist of the Year, Hong Kong, China
• 2013 – Zurich Festival Prize
• 2014 – Baukoma Awards for Marketing and Architecture
• 2021 – Elected Honorary Royal Academician
• 2024 – Culture Prize of the Canton of Zürich

Images for kids

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  Pickelporno (Film still, 1992)

See also

In Spanish: Pipilotti Rist para niños