Tidal Q&A with Aaron Schwartz

“We should try to do this in the mountains!” From there, we built upon the concept of shows like Human Nature and Ethos that were held in cities, and brought the residency to the resort in LAAX: snowboard by day, make art nearby, and show the work in a space the community is already familiar with.

How did Riders Hotel become the nucleus for the residency and exhibition?

Timing helped. Riders Hotel had just been rebranded and renovated. Jonathan, an interior designer who’d worked with LAAX for years prior, knew how to turn lived-in spaces into an exhibition experience. We slept at Riders, snowboarded during the day, made art by night (our studio was the club downstairs, dubbed the “art dungeon” – very DIY and grungy, but with cozy couches and fridges full of Guinness), then hung the show in the lobby the following weekend. It wasn’t a white-cube gallery, but we made it work within the space given. 

How has the show evolved – in artists and mediums?

The first two editions skewed “traditional”: painting, drawing, and works you could hang on a wall. Over time, we pushed into film, sound, and installations as well. In 2023, Jake Price shot, developed, and hand-cut a 16mm film during the week (we literally had a make-shift chemical lab on the mountain). We’ve had spatial work, sculptures, audio and soundscapes, you name it. The curation widened too: early on, we focused mainly on artists/snowboarders with ties to the industry, but by 2023, we expanded our search for artists with any kind of connection to snowboarding, professionally or personally. For example, in 2023, we invited local sculptor and spatial artist Davina Deplazes to join. Growing up riding in Laax she had a personal connection to snowboarding, but as an artist, she worked entirely outside of snowboarding. This provided a different perspective, yet still deeply rooted in the anchors that define what Tidal is all about. 

What changed when you moved the residency from the Riders Club to the mountain?

Everything! Since 2023 we’ve spent the week on the mountain, sleeping and creating at the Galaaxy at mid-station. You wake up already up there. Artists sometimes worked in their snow gear and goggles right after laps. It delivered on the original idea of being fully immersed in both worlds of snowboarding and art-making in the mountains. The logistics were fun and challenging, hauling artwork and materials on public gondolas, but it made the whole experience richer.

Community response? How did the exhibition format adapt?

Each show has felt well-attended. I don’t have hard numbers, but the bar sales did well, and the energy was always there. Riders now has a dedicated gallery and flexible art space by the lobby, which we used in 2023 alongside the bar as a communal anchor. We’ve experimented too: the 2019 edition was a “one night only” scenario in the club, and it basically turned into the Banked Slalom afterparty; we literally had to take the art off the walls to protect it. This year, we returned to the club after its renovation. We staged two nights over the weekend, curated musical performances with the art show that supported the vibe, rather than a “party”. The result felt more wholesome and intentional. Interest continues to grow; people often ask when the next show will be held or ask how to apply. There’s no open application yet, but we’re considering various ideas for the next one in the Spring of 2027. 

Is the work for sale, and who buys?

Yes. Riders Hotel serves as a gallery – a commission that helps fund the next edition, and the majority of the proceeds go to the artist. Not everything is for sale (medium depending, like sound work or installations), but prints, paintings, and photographs can go home with people. There isn’t a huge art-buying / collectors market established here quite yet, but it’s growing; so far, attendees are rather younger, so we try to keep the pricing fair, but we know that, at the end of the day, the community aspect is what’s most important here. 

Any memorable additions to the lineup in 2025?

We really wanted sound and installation work in the mix this time. Janiv Oron, for example, has been DJing parties here in LAAX for two decades, but also composes for the ballet, theater, and global exhibitions. His work brought a new layer this year with a sculpture and sound installation he made from recording the freezing and melting sounds of ice – pretty wild! We also invited Flora Mottini from Geneva; she hadn’t snowboarded in 10 years but got back on snow this year, and the Tidal residency reignited a dormant passion. That kind of diversity also helps to keep the shows fresh and interesting for the audience.

The show also reached beyond snowboarding this year, right?

Yes, we brought in surfer and artist/sculptor Dion Agius from Tasmania. He was so hyped to snowboard, but took a nasty fall on the first day and ended up with a collapsed lung. After spending three days in the hospital and missing most of the residency, he came back a day before the show and still managed to mount a strong showcase of his art. It was pretty gnarly, but his spirits never dipped. Legend! 

How has steering Tidal impacted your own art practice?

My role at Korua Shapes has grown, so my time for personal work is limited. But every two years, Tidal flips a switch for me and the week of the residency is carved out creative time. It’s also incredibly inspiring to be around so many talented artists. Thanks to support from the resort and the team, I’m not running logistics non-stop; I have time to be an artist and a host and immerse myself in the processes of everyone up there. It rekindles curiosity. My partner, Jonathan, who now lives in Spain, feels the same way. A week of collective art-making instead of working alone in a studio really highlights the companionship we also feel with snowboarding. It’s basically like camp: all in one place, shared meals, ideas exchanged over dinner or drinks on the terrace, go snowboarding, and then back to the studio together.

Last one, what’s next?

We’ll continue to evolve the mix of people and mediums while holding onto the core: art, snowboarding, and community. Having ten fresh slots each year opens space for new voices. We also hope that artists from previous shows will return to Laax, even if they’re not in the residency. In that way, it becomes a reunion, too, not just an exhibition.