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Helsinn Supports Local Art Exhibition, ‘Lugano: Reflections of Light’ by Helidon Xhixha, curated by Eike D. Schmidt – Helsinn sostiene la mostra d’arte a cielo aperto Lugano: Riflessi di Luce, di Helidon Xhixha, curata da Eike D. Schmidt

Helsinn Supports Local Art Exhibition, ‘Lugano: Reflections of Light’ by Helidon Xhixha, curated by Eike D. Schmidt

Lugano, Switzerland April 17, 2019 – Helsinn, a Swiss pharmaceutical group focused on building quality cancer care products, today announces that Helsinn is one of the main sponsors for the contemporary open-air art monumental sculpture exhibition titled, Lugano: Reflections of Light by Helidon Xhixha and curated by Eike D. Schmidt, Director of the Uffizi Galleries of Florence.

From its founding years, Helsinn has remained committed to supporting the arts, recognizing that cultural events play a vital role in supporting quality of life, especially for those affected by cancer. Helsinn has always strived to place supporting the arts at the heart of our mission to help patients get the most out of every day.

Helsinn is delighted to be able to support this open-air exhibition in the heart of Lugano, which will take place from the 17 April to 22 September 2019. The art exhibition consists of twenty monumental sculptures, and can be viewed walking through the city, transforming Lugano into an open air museum where art interacts with the urban space and nature.

Riccardo Braglia, Group Vice Chairman & CEO, commented: “I had the pleasure of getting to know the work of Helidon Xhixha a few years ago and was very impressed by his use of light and reflection. I am delighted that Helsinn is now a main sponsor of this open-air exhibition. The promotion of varied creative experiences like this is aligned with the goal of the City of Lugano to support the creation of a vibrant, open and dynamic environment for people to live and work in. My hope is that Lugano will continue to be a place that is at the forefront of innovation, experimentation and encouraging debate around art and the role of art in society.”

Helsinn is a privately owned pharmaceutical group with an extensive portfolio of marketed cancer care products and a robust drug development pipeline. Since 1976, Helsinn has been improving the everyday lives of patients, guided by core family values of respect, integrity and quality. The Group works across pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, medical devices and nutritional supplements and has expertise in research, development, manufacture and the commercialization of therapeutic and supportive care products for cancer, pain and inflammation and gastroenterology. In 2016, Helsinn created the Helsinn Investment Fund to support early-stage investment opportunities in areas of unmet patient need. The company is headquartered in Lugano, Switzerland, with operating subsidiaries in Switzerland, Ireland, the U.S., Monaco and China, as well as a product presence in approximately 190 countries globally.

To learn more about Helsinn Group please visit www.helsinn.com

Helidon XHIXHA was born in Durres (Albania) in 1970, into a family of artists.

After attending the Academy of Fine Arts in Tirana, he moved to Italy to continue his studies at the Academy of Fine Arts of Brera (Milan), where he graduated in 1999. The previous year, thanks to a scholarship, he attended Kingston University in London, where he refined his techniques of engraving, sculpture and photography and experimented with the use of new materials including stainless steel, which will then become the privileged material around which his artistic research will revolve.

The vision and innovative technique of Xhixha translates into a monumental public art that redefines the relationship between sculpture and the surrounding environment, redefining the very boundaries of contemporary sculpture. Among the most important exhibitions and projects, his participation in 2015 at the 56th Venice Biennale with Iceberg: a floating sculpture in stainless steel that sways on the waters of the Grand Canal to talk about the theme of global warming and its impact on the city of Venice, catalyzing the attention of the public and the international press. In October of the same year, the Everlasting project at Milan Malpensa airport, a contemporary response to Leonardo Da Vinci’s Last Supper. In 2016, the important solo exhibition entitled Shining Rock in the historic city of Pietrasanta (LU) and participation in the first edition of the Design Biennale in London, where the artist is awarded the Public Medal for the best installation. Finally, In Random Order, a large monumental exhibition created in 2017 in the Boboli Gardens and Galleries of the Uffizi in Florence, dealing with late Renaissance architecture and landscaping. Among the upcoming events, a monumental exhibition of the artist will be held in June in the streets of the center of Forte dei Marmi (LU).

The works of Helidon Xhixha are present in numerous public and private collections, both in Italy and abroad.

Helsinn Group Media Contact:
Paola Bonvicini

Group Head of Communication
Lugano, Switzerland

Tel: +41 (0) 91 985 21 21
Email: Info-hhc@helsinn.com