Sometimes, the most meaningful artistic collaborations are shaped not just through shared ideas, but through moments of connection in unexpected places. Otomys artists Simone Boon (Holland) and Zoe Amor (Australia) met for the first time in person in Zurich, Switzerland, after months of remote Whats App correspondence while working on their upcoming exhibition, Transformation, which opens at Otomys this Thursday evening.
Ahead of a trip to Europe Zoe and Simone arranged to meet in Zurich. Though they had been working together on their exhibition from different continents, this was their first face-to-face encounter.
They met at the Kunsthaus Zürich, one of Switzerland’s most renowned and largest art museums. There, surrounded by masterworks from Alberto Giacometti and Claude Monet, the artists shared an afternoon of thoughtful conversation and quiet reflection.
As Dutch artist, Simone Boon described in her own words:
“We meet Kunsthaus for a good conversation and viewed a collection of Giacometti and Monet. After a drink together to Central Station in Zurich I left for a 3.5 hour drive to Milan and Zoe took a two hour train ride to where she was staying. It was indeed interesting to feel the benefit of meeting in real life”
Their meeting in Zurich served not only for cultural benefits , but as a moment to give shape and texture to their established digital dialogue. For both artists, it deepened the sense of empathy and shared vision that had begun from afar. Seeing each other in real life added new layers of understanding to their practices; something that digital conversations can only hint at.
Opening this Thursday at Otomys, Transformation presents new work by Simone Boon and Zoe Amor. Though their mediums and geographical contexts differ, both artists explore ideas of change, memory, and perception; resonating with the very nature of their collaboration.
Their brief meeting in Zurich feels symbolic: a crossing of paths, a moment of pause, and an exchange of inspiration that will echo through the works on show.
In an age where so much artistic exchange happens online, the Zurich encounter between Simone and Zoe reminds us of the irreplaceable magic of meeting in person.
Their exhibition is a testament to that rare alchemy where distance, time and difference collapse into something wholly shared.
June 11, 2025
