The Cantonal Museum of Contemporary Design and Applied Arts is delving into the survivalist world, also known as the "prepper" movement, for the duration of an exhibition. The exhibition encompasses both the scientific and material aspects surrounding this movement.

The end of the world – and the new universe that will emerge from it. This is what the "preppers" are waiting for, or rather anticipating. While it may seem outlandish, especially from a French perspective, this movement unites several million people around the world, particularly in the United States, who have developed a genuine culture and way of being. These are explored in an exhibition featuring over 400 works, including architectural models, photographs, drawings, and video archives evoking imagined post-apocalyptic worlds. Also on display are pieces of speculative design and 300 products created by the popular prepper community. It's also worth noting that some works were created specifically for the exhibition by artists such as Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec, Martí Guixé, Jasper Morrison, and Simo Heikkilä.

If the theme of the exhibition sounds familiar, it is because it first took shape at the last edition of the Salone del Mobile in Milan, where the installation Prepper's Pantry: Objects that Save Lives presented a series of objects and tools that could save lives and meet existential needs in the event of a disaster.

"We Will Survive" unfolds its narrative along three lines. The first focuses on the dangers threatening human existence. It introduces the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists of the United States and its "Doomsday Clock." Until January 2023, this clock estimated that humanity was only 100 seconds away from midnight, a way of signifying our terrifying proximity to the end of time. Since then, the clock has revised its calculations and now estimates that we are 90 seconds away from midnight.

The second section focuses on measures implemented by some governments in preparation for future disasters. This includes American campaigns in the 1960s encouraging citizens to build fallout shelters in their backyards, as well as, more recently, plans for the temporary relocation of the Neapolitan population in the event of increased volcanic activity. The final section of the exhibition addresses individual preparedness for survival, showcasing the "Prepper Supermarket," which provides everything needed for a successful post-apocalyptic life. Items on offer include seed banks and a fire-starting kit.

While this movement, which originated in the United States during the Cold War, may seem distant and foreign to us, it's difficult not to see it as an urgent matter. An urgency that resonates powerfully with our world grappling with climate change. This raises a crucial question: Shouldn't we also become survivalists?

“WE WILL SURVIVE” MUDAC
PLACE DE LA GARE 17, LAUSANNE (SWITZERLAND)
UNTIL FEBRUARY 9, 2025
MUDAC.CH