When approaching Zilla Leutenegger’s world we are not asked to drop
our dreams, but simply to get into the romantic universe of a young adult who has decided to preserve the freedom and joyful spontaneity of her childhood. Her life is a game and her work the mirror image of the characters she likes playing. Zilla is Cinderella: one day a prince charming comes riding his motorcycle and takes her away; she drops her red shoe behind (Performance project, 2000). Zilla is a pop star (The Moles, Zurich, 1998-1999), Zilla is Zorro, a naive heroine clumsily riding her horse in a cardboard western landscape (Z, 2002). Zilla speaks Japanese (Zipcode, 2001). Zilla conquers the moon and urinates like a man (Der Mann im Mond, 2000). Zilla gets bored. Zilla is rocked to sleep by a huge power shovel (Oh, mein Papa, 2001). Zilla is someone special and magic.
Each work shows a new aspect of this complex mythical character, whose identity is strongly affected by pop and media culture.
The artist fundamentally enacts her own intimacy while keeping detached. Her work is neither autobiographic nor exhibitionistic.


Selected solo exhibitions: 2003: Kunstverein Lüneburg; Stampa, Basel; Joanna Kamm, Berlin; FACT Centre Gallery Two, Liverpool; Spencer Brownstone, New York; Emanuel Tschumi, Basel; 2002: Artopia, Milan; Eugen Lendl, Graz; Studio De Carlo, Milan; Stadtgalerie, Bern; Peter Kilchmann, Zurich; 2001: Zürcher, Paris; Mamco, Geneva; 2000: Peter Kilchmann, Zurich; 1998: Ars Futura, Zurich.
Selected group exhibitions: 2003: Sport in Art, Salamanca; Kunstraum, Munchen; Centro d‘Arte Contemporanea, Bellinzona; Digital Video, Palais de Tokyo, Paris; Städtische Stipendien, Helmhaus, Zurich; In diesen Zeiten c‘est le moment, Centre PasquART, Biel; Kunsthaus Zurich; animations, Kunst-Werke Berlin; Durchzug/Draft, Kunsthalle, Zurich; 32nd Rottderdam Film Festival; 2002: Weihnachtsausstellung, Kunstmuseum, Chur, Germany; Snow Crash, Kunst-und Medienzentrum, Berlin; L‘image habitable, Centre pour l‘image contemporaine, Geneva; Videodrome II, New Museum, New York; media_city seoul 2002, Museum of Art, Seoul; Kein Ort, nirgends, Kunstverein Freiburg; Lines/Moving, Wohnmaschine, Berlin; Drawing on my mind, Forum Stadtpark, Graz; 2001: Tabu, Kunsthaus, Baselland; 2000: Videolounge, GS. Kunstraum Luzern; Eidgenössisches Kunststipendium, Basel; 1998: Dogdays are over, Centre Culturel Suisse, Paris.