Dayle Bechtler-Lustenberger is Managing Director of E.A.T. (Engadin Art Talks). In this conversation, she reflects on formative artworks, museum experiences and why culture remains essential to reflection, dialogue and innovation.
What was the first artwork that you remember really striking you? What was the context in which you saw it, and why did it resonate?
It is the Heureka, a monumental kinetic iron sculpture by Jean Tinguely on the Zürihorn. The sculpture was gifted to the City of Zurich by my grandfather, Walter Bechtler. Its size, rhythmic noise and active machinery really impressed me as a kid. Even today, it comes to life every hour, and watching and hearing it in motion still fills me with the same sense of fascination.
What’s your favourite museum, and what do you like about it?
My favorite museum is the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art in Copenhagen. I love its architecture and its stunning location, surrounded by beautiful gardens overlooking the sea. The seamless connection between the art, the landscape, and the waterfront makes every visit a truly inspiring experience.
Take us back to the moment you knew the art world was where you belonged. Was there ever a point when you almost walked away?
The moment I truly felt I belonged in the art world was during my History of Art studies at Goldsmiths, University of London. It was one of the most inspiring periods of my education. Rather than following a traditional chronological approach, the programme explored art through philosophy, architecture, and critical theory, encouraging us to examine visual culture within its broader social, cultural, and political contexts. It fundamentally changed the way I think about art and its role in society.
Today, in my work for the non-profit organisation E.A.T. (Engadin Art Talks), those insights remain highly relevant. We are experiencing increasingly challenging times when it comes to securing funding. Across many countries, public and private investment in culture is being reduced, making it ever more difficult for organisations like ours to support meaningful artistic exchange and critical discourse. These circumstances reinforce my belief that art and culture are not luxuries but essential spaces for reflection, dialogue, and innovation.
Tell us about an artwork that didn’t just impress you, but genuinely shifted your thinking.
One of the most memorable art experiences of my life was visiting The Lightning Field by Walter De Maria in Quemado, New Mexico. My husband and I spent 24 hours in the remote cabin provided by the Dia Art Foundation, as staying overnight is an essential part of experiencing the work.
The installation consists of 400 highly polished stainless-steel poles arranged in a precise grid spanning one mile by one kilometre. Throughout the day, the sculpture transforms dramatically with the changing light. At noon, the poles almost disappear, by sunset, they glow into the shimmering landscape across the desert.
What stayed with me most, however, was not only the visual experience but the way wildlife moved effortlessly through the installation, making it feel inseparable from its environment. Rather than existing as an object placed in nature, the artwork became part of the landscape itself. It shifted my understanding of art from something to be viewed as a self-contained object to something that can exist in dialogue with time, light, weather, and the living world.
What’s a widely accepted idea in the art world that you disagree with?
I find it difficult to accept the idea of buying art purely as a financial asset. While artworks can undoubtedly hold economic value, their deeper significance lies in their ability to inspire, challenge, provoke dialogue, and connect us with history, ideas, and the human experience. When art is reduced solely to an investment, much of what makes it meaningful is lost.