Cornelia Hesse-Honegger exhibition

Current exhibition

As part of Sacha Todorov’s writing residency, discover the exhibition centred on Cornelia Hesse at the Orangery of Voltaire’s Chateau.

  • 15 to 23 September 2026

    The monument’s usual opening hours

  • Free

    There is still an admission charge for the castle.

  • All ages

Introduction

A Swissscientific illustrator specialising in drawing insects, Cornelia Hesse-Honegger saw her life turned upside down in 1987, the year in which, following the Chernobyl disaster, she began collecting insects near nuclear power stations (whether accident-prone or not) and drawing them, revealing to the general public both their astonishing beauty and their disturbing mutations. 

Her discoveries caused a scandal: immediately dismissed by the scientific community, they gradually gained international recognition within artistic and activist circles.

The exhibition features works by Cornelia Hesse-Honegger that trace her career.