Franziska Greber (* 4. May 1954) is a Swiss artist who grew up in a multicultural family.
Life and work Franziska Greber links art with society and politics. Her projects address exclusion and participation, marginalization and solidarity, silence and speaking, as well as resignation and resistance.Anna Göldi Museum – SchweigenPunkt. arttv.ch access-date 25.08.25 2026 Her multimedia works are developed in relation to place and context; collaboration, transdisciplinarity and participation form the basis. In 2016, she initiated the international art project WOMEN IN THE DARK in Zimbabwe.SRF Kulturplatz / 3sat Kulturzeit: WOMEN IN THE DARK, 25. November 2020access-date 25.08.25 2026
Until 2018, she worked as a psychotherapist in private practice, advised organizations in Switzerland and abroad, taught at universities and colleges, and published on various forms of violence, abuse of power and exploitation of dependencies. She was also co-head of the IST Interventionsstelle gegen Häusliche Gewalt (Domestic Violence Intervention Center) of the Directorate of Justice and Home Affairs of the Canton of Zurich.Häusliche Gewalt – Manual für Fachleute.access-date 25.08.25 2026
Projects
Women in the Dark WOMEN IN THE DARK is an international, transdisciplinary and participatory art project against discrimination and violence, implemented in eight countries: Zimbabwe, the Seychelles, Mauritius, China, India, Switzerland, Chile and Germany.Frauen eine Stimme geben – Mit weissen Blusen und roten Stiften gegen das Unrecht. SRF Newsaccess-date 25.08.25 2026 In collaboration with local women's and human rights organizations, women write their experiences, hopes and demands with red pens on white shirts, in India on dupattas (scarves).Ich wurde vergewaltigt – eine Zürcher Künstlerin gibt Frauen weltweit eine Stimme. Neue Zürcher Zeitung,access-date 25.08.25 2026
The installations with the garments are complemented by a book with the texts, video and audio works, photographs, further thematic installations and performances.Weisse Blusen erzählen Geschichten, SRFaccess-date 25.08.25 2026 The national implementations are conceived as independent exhibitions and presented each time in new ways.Franziska Greber: Women in the Dark – Aufruhr des Schweigens. Kunstmuseen Erfurtaccess-date 25.08.25 2026 An exception was DISARMING SILENCE at the Palais des Nations in Geneva in 2025, in which the inscribed shirts from all participating project countries were brought together in one installation.Disarming Silence.access-date 25.08.25 2026 Further Projects
Franziska Greber develops and implements further long-term projects, including UPROOTED & APART, which addresses sexual violence in war. UPROOTED was presented in front of the Palais des Nations and APART at the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum in Geneva. Exhibitions
Solo Exhibition (Selection)
2026: Kunsthalle Erfurt, WOMEN IN THE DARK – aufruhr des schweigens.Tagesschau.de: Women in the Dark. Kunstprojekt macht Gewalt gegen Frauen sichtbar. access-date 25.08.25 2026 2025: Palais des Nations, Geneva, DISARMING SILENCE.United Nations Information Service: DISARMING SILENCE. access-date 25.08.25 2026 2024: Reinbeckhallen, Berlin, WOMEN IN THE DARK – aufruhr des schweigens.Stiftung Reinbeckhallen: WOMEN IN THE DARK – aufruhr des schweigens.access-date 25.08.25 2026 2024: Galerie im Burggrafiat, Alzey, WOMEN IN THE DARK – aufruhr des schweigens.Franziska Greber: Katharina Binz, Opening Speech, WOMEN IN THE DARK – aufruhr des schweigens. access-date 25.08.25 2026 2023: Meckelhalle, Freiburg im Breisgau, WOMEN IN THE DARK – aufruhr des schweigens.SWR Aktuell: Kunstausstellung in der Meckelhalle Freiburg. access-date 25.08.25 2026 2022: Palais des Nations, Geneva, UPROOTED.United Nations Information Service: UPROOTED.access-date 25.08.25 2026 2022: Internationales Rotkreuz- und Rothalbmondmuseum, Geneva, APART. 2019: Anna Göldi Museum, Ennenda, SchweigenPunkt. 2019: Aapravasi Ghat, Port Louis, WOMEN IN THE DARK.MBC Mauritius: WOMEN IN THE DARK.access-date 25.08.25 2026 2017: Victoria Memorial Hall, Kolkata, Voices of Courage and Sorrow.The Hindu: Voices of Courage and Sorrow at Victoria Memorial Hall. access-date 25.08.25 2026
Group Exhibition (Selection)
2025: Palazzo Ducale, Genoa, THE OTHER DIRECTION.Telenord: THE OTHER DIRECTION.access-date 25.08.25 2026 2024: Galata Museo del Mare, Genoa, Biennale Le latitudini dell’arte.RaiNews: Arte Contemporanea al Galata, è la Biennale. 12. August 2024.access-date 25.08.2026 2021: Pinakothek der Moderne, Munich, feminin – die soziale und politische Kraft des Weiblichen in Kunst und Gesellschaft.Pinakothek der Moderne: Denkraum Deutschland 2021 – feminin – die soziale und politische Kraft des Weiblichen in Kunst und Gesellschaft. access-date 25.08.25 2026 2021: Alte Münze, Berlin, Corona Culture.Berlino Magazine: A Berlino la mostra Corona Culture: come la pandemia ha influenziato l’opera di centinaia di artisti. 15. Oktober 2021.access-date 25.08.25 2026 2018: International Cultural and Art Center Meixi Hall, Changsha, Existence.Weixin: EXISTENCE – 存在 | 弗兰齐斯卡 · 格雷伯作品集. access-date 25.08.25 2026 2016: Crossroads Centre, Beijing, UNTOLD STORIES.Reuters Report: UNTOLD STORIES, access-date 25.08.25 2026 Award
2023: The Power of the Arts, Germany, für WOMEN IN THE DARK.The Power of the Arts: WOMEN IN THE DARK.access-date 25.08.25 2026
Publications (Selection)
Laura Santini, Franziska Greber: The art of giving voice – a conversation between Laura Santini and Franziska Greber. In: La conoscenza negata. Meltemi Editore, Rom 2025, p. 303–323. Franziska Greber, Cornelia Kranich: Häusliche Gewalt – Manual für Fachleute. Interventionsstelle gegen Häusliche Gewalt des Kantons Zürich, 3. Edition, 2013. Margit Averdijk, Chantal Billaud, Franziska Greber, Isabel Miko Iso, Cornelia Kranich, Andrea Wechlin, Martha Weingartner: Empfehlungen zur Reduktion von sexueller Gewalt zwischen Teenagern. Ein Beitrag aus fachlicher Sicht. UBS Optimus Foundation, 2013. Franziska Greber, Cornelia Kranich Schneiter: Dynamik Häuslicher Gewalt und rechtliche Interventionen. In: Ulrike Borst, Andrea Lanfranchi (Hrsg.): Liebe und Gewalt in nahen Beziehungen. Therapeutischer Umgang mit einem Dilemma. Heidelberg, 2011, p. 219–233.
References
External links
Website of the project WOMEN IN THE DARK