Stefan Tschumi

I’m a photographer, director and artist based in Zurich. I’ve worked independently since 2014, making images for campaigns, portraits and music videos. I’m drawn to what I can stage and to what only emerges when I give a person, a place or a movement time.

For Defender × Chetzeron, I began with the vehicle small in the mountain landscape, then moved in close to the materials inside. On the Via Alpina, the walk itself set the pace for a photo story commissioned by Switzerland Tourism. With music videos, I take my cues from the track and may direct, shoot and edit, depending on the project.

I’ve worked as a video designer at Zurich Opera House since 2023. On stage, I’m interested in how a projected image changes in response to light, movement and space. My independent work asks related questions through other means. For Digital Appropriation Mantra, shown at Aargauer Kunsthaus, I used an algorithm to extend the edges of my drone photographs over successive iterations.

I trained in fine art and art education. I’m also interested in how people can take part in making or changing an image. In teaching, I explore that with others. When I design for the web, the same question is built into the interaction: what can people discover, and what changes when they act?