curriculum vitae
christoph von toggenburgnationalities: Swiss and Austrian
Date of birth: 21st June 1976
Languages: German (mother-tongue), English, French, Spanish
EDUCATION
2000 – 2001 Masters (MA) in Fine Art at Chelsea College of Art – London1997 – 2000 Bachelor (BA) in ‘Communications and Fine Arts’ at London Guildhall University
1996 Military service in the Swiss Army – Paramedic and Ambulance driver
1989 - 1996 Monastery Boarding School in the Swiss Alps (Disentis).
Matura (A – levels) in economicsPUBLICATIONS
2003 Book: Bike for Help – My efforts for lepers – A humanitarian adventure (230 p., published in German by Herbig Munich)‘Bike for Help Documentary – A humanitarian Adventure’ screened at the International Adventure and Mountain Film Festival Graz
2002 Reports (TV, newspapers, radio, internet) about Bike for Help all over the WorldAWARDS / DECORATIONS
2003 Decoration with the ‘Commander’s Cross’ (Croce di Commendatore del Ordine al Merito Melitense) by the Order of Malta for outstanding humanitarian efforts.2003 Winner ‘Best Adventure’ at El Mundo Adventure-Slide Festival
2000 Winner ‘Santa Carolina Wine Label Competition’ (Prize: Trip to Chile and wine with label distributed worldwide)
1999 Runner Up in photo-competition ‘Time’ in magazine ‘Amateur Photographer’ (november issue)
CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES
2003 Founder of the international humanitarian charity ‘Colour the World’ helping leprosy-sufferers2001 - 2002 ‘Bike for Help’ A 9300km cycle-expedition from India to Switzerland in order to raise money for two leprosy charities working in India and South East Asia. (raised € 120’000)
1999 - 2000 ‘Picture your world’ – Photography and painting courses for homeless in St. John’s, Hackney Central
1994 - 2002 International Handicapped Camps of the ‘Order of Malta’ in Switzerland, Poland, Belgium, Italy, Ireland and Hungary
1997 - 1998 Emergency Driver for ‘Homeless Soup Run’ organised by ‘Bondway’ in London (Vauxhall)
1998 'Run for Help' - 300 km running with 6000 M altitude difference across the Alps from Switzerland to Italy in 4 1/2 days to raise money for homeless children in Bucharest (Romania). Several publications in Italy, Austria, Switzerland and Liechtenstein (raised € 30’000)
1997 ‘India fundraising - exhibition’ (for Mother Teresa, raised € 2000)
OTHER ACTIVITES
Snowboarding, Skiing, Cycling, Downhill Skateboarding (No. 19 at the World Championship in 1995), Paragliding (Swiss Pilot Licence since 1994), Jogging, Trekking, Cinema, Culture and Classical Concerts.
PHOTOGRAPHY AND PAINTING
PHOTO-PROJECTS
2004 Traces of faith – leprosy patients in India
2000 Exposure – St. John at Hackney Community Space Centre for homeless people
1999 'Underground - The invisible move'
Photo-project in the ‘tube’ based in New York, London and Paris1998
'Homeless in Bucharest’ photo - reportage connected to the 'Run' – several newspaper publications in Austria, Italy and Switzerland
‘Concentration Camps of the Second World War’ photojournalist project with extensive travelling in Germany, France, Poland, Czech Republic and Austria‘impressione di Firenze’
1996 ‘impressione di Venezia’
1995 ‘impressions de Paris’
EXHIBITIONS
PHOTOGRAPHY
2003
El Mundo ‘Advenure and Travel Slide-Festival’, Judenburg (A)
2002
‘The visual journey of C. von Toggenburg’ – Swiss Embassy in New Delhi
2000
‘Underground – the invisible move’ Galerie Fotoforum Bozen(Italy)
1999
Contemporary Photographers Fair in Strand Palace Hotel – London
1998
'A celebration of in dependence' - toilets all over the world
Solo - Exhibition Thomas Kettle Gallery (London; Covent Garden)
'Annual Photographic Exhibition' in Lauderdale House, London (Group exhibition)
Contemporary Photographers Fair in Strand Palace Hotel – London
1997‘India - contacts’ in Galeria Merl in Soprabolzano (Italy) entirely for Mother Teresa in Calcutta
‘India – spirits’ in Galerie Andreas Hülber in Vienna (Austria)
‘Open Air Audio-Visual Show’ of ‘Shapes of Asia’ (slides; life mixed music) in Soprabolzano
PAINTING
2004
Stephanshorn – Clinic and Fiore Institute St.Gallen (Switzerland)
Clinic Cristal Bad Ragaz - Switzerland
2001
Turren Marshall Warren – solo show, Kings Road, London
FarmiloFiumano, C21 Gallery, Artist in residence, Hyde Park, London
2000
Commission for the interior colour concept of the ‘Hospital Grabs’ (Switzerland).
Deborah Waterson Gallery exhibition with Patrick John Mills and Deborah Waterson
Round House Exhibition(London) at the Mint – Club launch party
Swiss Embassy (London) “Creative Switzerland 2000”
Internet Gallery ‘britart.com’ (London based)
MOI Museum of Installation London – The Box Project “Hidden Desires”
‘Hidden Art of Hackney’ Open Studio event in London
‘One foot two’ show with sixty artists in the Mafuji Gallery (Hackney – London)
1999 Decima Gallery London (Group Exhibition)
1998
‘Whitechapel Open Studio’
'Summer Exhibition' in the 'Royal Academy of Arts' in London
ARTWORK
Paintings and Photographs are found in private collections in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Holland, Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Portugal, England and the United States.