MASSIMILIANO ROSSETTO


Massimiliano Rossetto (b. 1993) is a Swiss-Italian artist.
He lives and works between Zurich and Berlin.

Rossetto’s artistic practice investigates how landscapes, narratives, and bodies pulse, seep, and intertwine, working through a queer ecological perspective. Across photography, sculpture, and multisensory installation, he engages remote and marginal sites—valleys, transitional terrains, and slowly transforming environments—where desire flows, memory lingers, and ecological processes unfold. His practice responds to the urgency of rethinking attention, care, and relationality in a moment defined by ecological and social precarity. Rooted in ancestral origins and personal narrative, he deconstructs and reconstructs images and materials, tracing the strata where matter, bodies, and places continuously shape and transform one another. Landscapes are treated as living systems that remember, resist, and respond. From within them, images, scent, light, sound, and sculptural elements surface and gather, forming immersive encounters where self and terrain intertwine, fragility unfolds into resilience, and memory courses through every surface and gesture. Queer ecology shapes both method and perspective—messy, interdependent, entangled. Rossetto proposes ways of sensing, inhabiting, and imagining the world that shift perception and presence, insisting that these gestures themselves enact change and invite new forms of connection with one another and the landscapes we inhabit.

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Upcoming
16.04.2026–13.06.2026 | Group exhibition, NEWKAMMER II: Present Positions – Atelier Righini-Fries Foundation (Zurich, Switzerland)
30.04.2026–06.06.2026 | Solo show, We left skin in the cracks – Kulturfolger (Zurich, Switzerland)
08.05.2026–14.06.2026 | Group exhibition, OZEANE FLIESSEN AUFWÄRTS – Hotel Tiger, EWZ Unterwerk Selnau (Zurich, Switzerland)
25.05.2026–07.06.2026 | Artist residency at Luoghi di Seconda Origine – MAN_Museo d'Arte della Provincia di Nuoro (Nuoro, Italy)
04.06.2026–14.06.2026 | AK JOL - Mobile Encounters, GALLERY HOUSE Zürich (Zurich, Switzerland)
August 2026 | Duo show with Jess Holdengarde – Casa Azul (Gordola, Switzerland)
September 2026 | Group exhibition, Offspace +41 (Morbio Inferiore, Switzerland)
September and November 2026 | Artist residency at Fundaziun Nairs (Scuol, Switzerland)
2027 | Group exhibition, MAN_Museo d'Arte della Provincia di Nuoro (Nuoro, Italy)


Solo exhibitions
2025 | FEROCE – standard/deluxe (Lausanne, Switzerland)
2025 | Tra le rocce – Amiamo Caffè (Zurich, Switzerland)
2024 | Artificio – Micromacro, Atelier Viandanti (Lugano, Switzerland)

Group exhibitions (selection)
2026 | Embassy of Switzerland in the United Kingdom  – Offspace Refusés (London, UK)
2026 | Eco di Corpi – Tutto o Niente, Offspace Refusés (Lugano, Switzerland)
2026 | Condo Satellite – Harlesden High Street hosted by Offspace Refusés (London, UK)
2025 | Private Party –  Anggrek Agency (Zurich, Switzerland)
2025 | PUGLIODROME, Group exhibition at Kulturfolger (Zurich, Switzerland)

2025 | The Grand Tiger Hotel – Offspace Hotel Tiger (Zurich, Switzerland)
2024 | È Fuoco Nell’Iridescenza – Spazio Fervida (Lugano, Switzerland)
2024 | Matazz Offspace – Unternehmen Mitte (Basel, Switzerland)
2024 | Space Invasion III – Fabienne Levy Gallery (Lausanne, Switzerland)
2024 | Making space, finding forms (Diploma Exhibition MFA) – Toni Areal ZHdK (Zurich, Switzerland)
2023 | La Regionale (ACXSI) – Villa Ciani (Lugano, Switzerland)
2023 | Of Each Absence – Klimarunde, ETH curated by Judith Welter (Zurich, Switzerland)
2023 | Restless in the 1960s: The Tokyo Experience with the Avant-Garde – Shared Campus Summer School (Tokyo, Japan)
2023 | BreggiArte – Associazione Percorsi Culturali (Bruzella, Switzerland)
2023 | Playing with the trouble – [SIC] Space for International Cooperation (Athens, Greece)
2023 | Playing with the trouble – Ρολοι Ασπρoπυργου, Shared Campus Summer School (Aspropyrgos, Greece)
2023 | 2nd Quanzhou International Image Biannual – Huaguang Photography Art Museum (Quanzhou, China)
2023 | Off grid – Material (Zurich, Switzerland)
2023 | Stories of water, Chapter IV – Oncurating project space (Zurich, Switzerland)
2023 | 10th edition La nuit de la photo – Musée des beaux-arts (La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland)
2022 | Winter Auction Fine Arts – Fondation ZHdK (Zurich, Switzerland)
2022 | Rethinking Nature – Festival Center FOTO WIEN,  European Month of Photography (Vienna, Austria)
2022 | Genesi creativa – m.a.x. museo, Spazio Officina (Chiasso, Switzerland)
2022 | .YOUNG – Kromya Art Gallery (Lugano, Switzerland)
2022 | Le stanze dell’arte – Palazzo Civico (Bellinzona, Switzerland)
2021 | Wunderkummer – Atelier Viandanti curated by Maria Ares, Francesco Maria Gamba (Lugano, Switzerland)
2021 | 25th vfg Swiss Young Talent Award for Photography – IPFO Haus der Fotografie (Olten, Switzerland)
2021 | Rethinking Nature – Imago Lisboa, European Month of Photography (Lisbon, Portugal)
2021 | C’era una volta la Pangea – Offspace +41, curated by Nicolò Latini, Chiara Ottavi (La Saceba, Switzerland)
2021 | Rethinking Nature – Mois européen de la photographie Luxembourg (Luxembourg)
2021 | photoSCHWEIZ – Halle 550, curated by Daniel Bollinger (Zurich, Switzerland)
2021 | 24th vfg Swiss Young Talent Award for Photography – Kammgarn West (Schaffhausen, Switzerland)
2021 | S(P)LACES – Centrale Festival, curated by Laura Davì (Fano, Italy)
2021 | HOT MESS II – Neuezeit Ost, curated by Yolandé Gouws (Berlin, Germany)
2020 | HOT MESS – Prince Charles, curated by Yolandé Gouws (Berlin, Germany)
2020 | 24th vfg Swiss Young Talent Award for Photography – Oslo 8 (Basel, Switzerland)
2020 | 24th vfg Swiss Young Talent Award for Photography – Photobastei (Zurich, Switzerland)
2020 | Generation Z, Noorderlicht International Fotofestival – Museum Heerenveen, curated by Robert Jan Verhagen (Groningen, Netherlands)
2020 | SPC Photo Awards – Photobastei (Zurich, Switzerland)
2019 | Environment Documenta – LoosenArt gallery (Rome, Italy)
2019 | Rala: Feast of the Peasant – RETA (Zurich, Switzerland)
2018 | Les nouveaux sauvages – Le Faubourg (Lyon, France)
2018 | The inner forest – Verzasca Foto Festival (Sonogno, Switzerland)
2017 | Vicini di casa – Spazio 1b (Lugano, Switzerland)
2016 | Sê plural como universo! – LaRada, curated by Carolina Sanchez, Riccardo Lisi (Locarno, Switzerland)
2016 | Exhibition École BLOO – Loft 4-40 (Lyon, France)
2016 | Vita di lago – Brissago Islands (Locarno, Switzerland)
2016 | Low Cost – BLOO gallery (Lyon, France)
2015 | Art Tonic – Port Tonic Art Center (St. Tropez, France)
2012 | Identità – Ego gallery, (Lugano, Switzerland)
2012 | Making Life – Castellinaria, International young film festival (Bellinzona, Switzerland)
2011 | Self shots – Giu*BoxGallery (Naples, Italy)

Education
2022-2024 | ZHdK Zurich University of the Arts – MA in Fine Arts (Zurich, Switzerland)
2014-2016 | BLOO – BA in Fine Arts & Contemporary Photography (Lyon, France)

Public collections
2025 | Lac o Le Mon Foundation (San Cesario di Lecce, Italy)
2024 | City of Zurich – Kunstsammlung Stadt Zürich (Zurich, Switzerland)

Awards & Nominations
2024 | Special mention, Premio Fondazione Verzasca (Vogorno, Switzerland)
2024 | Finalist, KSW Kantonsspital Winterthur Kunstpreis (Winterthur, Switzerland)
2023 | Finalist, H&B Real Estate AG Kunstpreis (Zurich, Switzerland)
2020 | Winner, 24th vfg Swiss Young Talent Award for Photography (Zurich, Switzerland)
2016 | 3rd price, Vita di lago – Verzasca Foto Festival (Brissago, Switzerland)

Residencies 
2026 | Fundaziun Nairs (Scuol, Switzerland)
2026 | Luoghi di Seconda Origine – MAN_Museo d'Arte della Provincia di Nuoro (Nuoro, Italy)
2025 | Simposio di pittura – Lac o Le Mon Foundation (San Cesario di Lecce, Italy)
2023 | Shared Campus – Restless in the 1960s, Summer School (Tokyo, Japan)
2023 | Shared Campus – Critical Ecologies, Summer School (Athens, Greece)

Grants
2025 | Focus Photo – Pro Helvetia, Swiss Arts Council
2024–2025 | What’s next_Compass – Z-Kubator at Zurich University of the Arts (Zurich, Switzerland)
2023–24 Fondation Felix Leemann (Lugano, Switzerland)
2022–23 Fondation Zangger Weber (Zurich, Switzerland)

Publications (selection)
2024 | Review Magazine, Issue 1° (London, UK)
2024 | LOVE BOOK – ZHdK MA Fine Arts Department (Zurich, Switzerland)
2024 | FEROCE – Respiro Cosmico, Self–published (Zurich, Switzerland)
2024 | Voci d’Artista – Orizzonti, Cooperazione, Issue 24° (Basel, Switzerland)
2024 | Mineralien und Gesteine, Self–published (Zurich, Switzerland)
2024 | Naturalia, photo–letter (Berlin, Switzerland)
2023 | A Hybrid Transmedia Storytelling, HGK Basel FHNW Editions (Basel, Switzerland)
2022 | Fisheye Photo Review 2021.22, Fisheye Éditions (Paris, France)
2020 | ENTKUNSTUNG III (Berlin, Germany)
2020 | L’appel d’une forêt perdue, Fisheye Magazine (Paris, France)
2020 | PF – Fotografie Magazine, Issue 4° (Amsterdam, Netherlands)

Public talks
2025 | Incontri di Corippo, Fondazione Verzasca (Corippo, Switzerland)
2024 | What’s next_Compass – Z–Kubator (Zurich, Switzerland)
2023 | Shared Campus – Restless in the 1960s, Summer School (Tokyo, Japan)

Other projects
2024 | LOVE BOOK – Supported by ZHdK MA Fine Arts Department
2018 | Member of near. – Swiss association for contemporary photography
2018 | Photobook: RESET by “Self Publish, Be Happy” – EMOP Opening Days, hosted by C/O Berlin
2012 | Reflexions Masterclass founded by Giorgia Fiorio and Gabriel Bauret
2012 | Co-founder of YET MAGAZINE

















































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