Plate

This ceramic plate has been repaired using metal clips. Holes were bored to accommodate the clips, then both holes and cracks were filled with putty. Ceramic vessels had been repaired in a similar fashion right back to prehistoric times. Langnau im Emmental BE, around 1800-1830.

Swiss National Museum

Venus statuette

Sculptures such as this originally adorned private villas. This statuette may have been broken accidentally, or it may have fallen out of favour with the head of the household. It ended up being used as building material in a wall of the Late Roman fort of Augusta Raurica. Kaiseraugst AG, 200–260 AD, limestone.

Museum Augusta Raurica, Augst

Evening chores

Farmhouse parlour in the evening: several people are gathered around the family table engaged in typical evening chores. Two women are doing handiwork – one sewing, the other weaving yarn. Two men are repairing tools: new wooden tines are being carved and fitted into a rake. Print, probably Jakob Kaiser, probably Lucerne LU, around 1850.

Swiss National Museum

Times of crisis

Things were reused as much as possible during the two world wars. Women’s organizations in particular made a significant contribution to the task of collecting reusable materials. Women from the “Frauenzentrale” Zurich at the collection campaign for families with many children, Zurich, 1943.

Swiss National Museum / ASL

Fish hook

A somewhat unusual fish hook: the decorative, vase-shaped head of the shank reveals that this was once a cloak pin. Such pins were used in the Bronze Age as pieces of jewellery to fasten cloaks, capes and other items of loose clothing. Zurich-Alpenquai, around 900 BC.

Swiss National Museum

Kinetic sculptures

The Swiss artist Jean Tinguely collected material from scrapyards and rubbish tips, which he proceeded to transform into Dada-inspired artworks. Most of his sculptures include an electric motor that not only makes them move, but also generates sounds – a crucial element of his work. Heureka, sculpture made out of scrap metal, Jean Tinguely (1925–91), Zurich ZH, 1963–64, photograph.

Swiss National Museum

Waste collection

The graphic designer Hans Anton Tomamichel (1899-1984) was commissioned to design information boards by the Office for scrap management. He used images of tin tubes, tin cans, fabric and bones to draw attention to the large quantities of such materials that before the war were thrown away and now were supposed to be collected. ‘Collect scrap material and waste!’ design, Hans Anton Tomamichel, 1939/40.

Swiss National Museum

Bedspread

This fragment of a bedspread with three layers of fabric testifies to extremely frugal times, during which people threw nothing away, despite being fashion-conscious. It went without saying that such a bedspread would be repeatedly patched with leftover scraps of fabric. Fragment of a cover, India and France, various manufacturers, 18th/19th century, Indienne printed cotton.

Swiss National Museum

Uniformed

This depiction of the 3rd Swiss Regiment at the time of the Napoleonic Wars shows that uniforms were also mended: The officer in marching uniform on the right is wearing a faded coat and worn grey trousers that have been patched at the crotch and knees. Illustration, around 1808.

Swiss National Museum

The second life of things. Stone, metal, plastic

Key visual of the exhibition

Swiss National Museum

Haute Couture gown

This dress was created by the fashion design Kévin Germanier, who was born in the canton of Valais. He is internationally renowned for his glamorous upcycled fashion. Germanier works with fabrics, beads and sequins that have been discarded due to overproduction or imperfections. Look 27, Kévin Germanier (* 1992), Paris FR, Spring/Summer Collection 2023, upgecycelt sequins, beads, plastic, PVC, wood, glass, resin.

Swiss National Museum

Haute Couture gown

This dress was created by the fashion design Kévin Germanier, who was born in the canton of Valais. He is internationally renowned for his glamorous upcycled fashion. Germanier works with fabrics, beads and sequins that have been discarded due to overproduction or imperfections. Look 27, Kévin Germanier (* 1992), Paris FR, Spring/Summer Collection 2023, upgecycelt sequins, beads, plastic, PVC, wood, glass, resin.

Swiss National Museum

View of the exhibition

© Swiss National Museum

View of the exhibition

© Swiss National Museum

View of the exhibition

© Swiss National Museum