BIO / STECKBRIEF / PROFILE
Beat Canonica
Born 4 August 1972, Lindberg Private Hospital, Winterthur — Switzerland. Self-taught painter, calligrapher, photographer, sculptor, pianist, actor and haiku-poet. Resident of Winterthur since 2020.
PHOTO · MANUEL SCHWEIZER
The short version.
- TodayStudio practice continues alongside photography, short stories, daily haiku, and sporadic private musical performances.
- 2025Solo exhibitions · Alte Kaserne, Winterthur · Raiffeisenbank Winterthur (May–October).
- 2022Flaschendesign for Stadt Zürich · Schutz und Prävention.
- 2021Série Calque — fourteen sheets on chalkpaper.
- 2020Moves to Winterthur after growing up in Uster and later moving three times within the city of Zürich.
- 2018Day job: building cleaner for the City of Zürich. Studio practice continues alongside the day job.
- 2015Vernissage at Centre Le Phénix, Fribourg + Villa Windegg, Zürich.
- 2002–04Courses at HGKZ (Zurich University of the Arts) and F&F Zürich.
- 1997First works in graphite and ink — sustained art practice begins.
- 1980At eight years old, begins inventing his own writing system.
- 1972Born on August 4 in Winterthur, Switzerland, at Lindberg Private Hospital.
PHOTO · NICO SPAHNI, Winterthur
PHOTO · NICO SPAHNI, Winterthur
PHOTO · NICO SPAHNI, Winterthur
EDUCATION & TRAINING
Self-taught in drawing, calligraphy, and painting — development of a personal style of signs and writings. Courses at HGKZ (Zurich University of the Arts) and F&F Form und Farbe Zürich, 2002–2004. Commercial apprenticeship at Jowa AG Central Administration (MIGROS). NBW Management School, Zürich. Human-psychology course at AKAD Zürich. Recovery-coach training at EX-IN iPEBO, Lake Constance, Germany. Improvisational-theatre courses at the An- und Pfirsich GmbH acting school in Zürich. Keen interest in languages — German, English, French, Italian, and others.
DAY-JOB · SINCE 2018
Building cleaner for the City of Zürich. The studio happens before, after, between — at the dining table, at the piano, in the courtyard.
PRACTICE & EXHIBITIONS
Since 1997, regular creation of artworks using acrylic, charcoal, oil, graphite, coloured pencils, lacquers, and pastels. Many exhibitions in Uster, Winterthur, Zürich, and Fribourg have been organised independently. Newspaper reports from earlier years exist, and participation in the international Artprize Luxembourg has been a recurring part of the public record.
OUTLETS & INSTRUMENTS
