World’s largest artwork marks 'Year of the Tiger'

Switzerland congratulates the Year of the Tiger with the largest work of art in the world, featuring a gigantic tiger projected by Swiss light artist Gerry Hofstetter onto the Eiger North Face in Grindelwald. 

1 February, 2022 marks the beginning of the Year of the Tiger in Asia, which is an astrological sign in the Chinese horoscope. 

Switzerland congratulates the new year with the projection of a 5.3 km long and over 2 km tall tiger on the Eiger North Face projected by Swiss light artist Gerry Hofstetter. 

Gerry Hofstetter thus created the largest work of art in the world, over 1,060 football fields in size. 

The idea came into his mind when he recognized in the shape of the Eiger a lying Tiger and added the play on words Tiger/Eiger. 

With it, he wants to symbolize the Swiss mountains and the international solidarity of Switzerland. It should also be a motivation for all Swiss athletes, and of course, all other participating athletes, to fight like a tiger for victory at the upcoming Winter Olympics in China in Beijing, which will start on 4 February.  

Gerry Hofstetter and his team needed more than a year to get the projection right. Weather, wind, clouds, moon size, moon position, snow, cold and the constellation of the stars had to fit perfectly into a 15-minute time frame. 

The well-known photographer from Gerry's team, Frank Schwarzbach, was able to capture the tiger photographically at the right moment.   

The action was supported locally by Grindelwald Tourism, the municipality of Grindelwald and by art patrons in Switzerland and abroad.  

The tiger lives in 13 countries in Asia. He is threatened with extinction and therefore protected.