“Lightning Symphony is literally shaped by music”, says the artist Claudia Comte. “The form of the sculpture is based on two overlapping sound waves, inspired by several iconic songs.” It creates a passage in the Messeplatz, through which visitors can walk to not only observe the rhythm but also to immerse themselves in it.

“For me, music is about movement and emotional resonance. “This was a way to give that shape.” Claudia Comte

This is the first time that the 41-year-old has worked with inflatable material: “I wanted to explore something playful, more immediate.” The vibrant LED lights respond to the idea of musical energy – similar to a light show at a concert, but sculptural. “It is a kind of temporary monument to sound and celebration, echoing the spirit of Eurovision.”

At one with the elements

Although she lives in Basel, she grew up at the foot of the Jura Mountains, surrounded by forests, rivers, and rocks. “I didn’t think of it as art at the time, but being immersed in nature taught me about form, cycles, and patience.”
Over the years, she has increasingly recognized and learned to appreciate the beauty of nature. And for her art. “I am increasingly inspired by it. By its systems, its logic, its unpredictability.”

Personally, she longs for places where she can feel small, “for forests, oceans, and deserts; becoming one with, and experiencing all the elements in movement.”

She also does this at home: Claudia Comte lives with her partner, curator Samuel Leuenberger, and their two children in the countryside just outside of Basel. Her home and studio have been designed according to the principles of permaculture and sustainability. Surrounded by nature, solar energy, and a life cycle that follows the seasons, Claudia enjoys spending her free time exploring the garden with her kids and playing together.

“This environment gives me the space to think, make and live more intentionally with the environment.” Claudia Comte

The best advice she has ever received: “To listen — to materials, to nature, to your instincts. To listen to simply being able to understand.”

Her home is also the place where she feels most connected to art. Here lies her source of inspiration. And in the Natural History Museum: “I love going there with my family to visit the mammoth. It’s majestic and still, but full of movement in the imagination. Sharing that experience with my children feels like a reminder of how much we’re part of something much older and larger than ourselves.”

Transient eternity

It is not really surprising that Claudia creates a lot with her hands – whether it is wood, colour, or clay. “Working with my hands connects me to the material and its history. It’s slow, precise, and physical. It fascinates me to explore different disciplines and combine the unexpected.”

She wants to create works that sharpen awareness of the fragile balance between people and nature. 

“Climate change is the biggest challenge we face and art can shift perception – can make that reality feel more urgent, more shared.” Claudia Comte

She is drawn to both temporary and lasting works of art. “Temporary works, like wall paintings made for exhibitions, are fleeting by nature, and there’s something exciting and poetic about that. They respond to a specific moment and place, and then they disappear.“ In contrast, her work Structure of Life, at the Novartis Campus, is permanent.