Appenzell Ausserrhoden honors Patrick Kessler

Patrick Kessler was born in 1967 and lives in Gais. He has been active in the canton for more than twenty years as a sound artist, composer, and curator. His concert installations in various formations and projects—such as the Chuchchepati Orchestra—have enriched the musical landscape and made spaces audible, according to the canton. With a keen sense of nuance and technical precision, he transforms sounds into experiences and vice versa.

Patrick Kessler founded the biennial audiovisual festival Klang Moor Schopfe. In the easternmost district outside of Gais, he transforms the Schopfe raised bog into a resonant space where nature and perception intertwine. In doing so, he consistently succeeds in connecting various cultural practitioners with local residents. He also demonstrates his commitment as a double bass teacher at various music schools in the region.

The Culture Prize recognizes the work of an artist who has been working professionally, in a multidisciplinary and experimental manner for many years, garnering a strong response from both the general public and the music scene. The Government Council of Appenzell Ausserrhoden honors Patrick Kessler for his consistent, diverse, and outstanding body of work and awards him the Culture Prize, which comes with a prize of 25,000 Swiss francs.