Corso, Thomas Mailaender

The Corso Cinema opened its doors in 1949, following the purchase and transformation of the former Grand Hôtel cinema. Its activities continued the film screenings organized by the hotel, which had been inaugurated in 1906 during the real estate boom of the new town developing around Renens station. In 1979, a nightclub was established in the basement, but in 1992, an explosion brought its operations to an end. The building was demolished in 1999.

In the spring of 2024, Thomas Mailaender and the students of the ECAL Bachelor Photography program ventured into the club's ruins with the intention of bringing it back to life. Blending archaeology, documentary research, and imaginative speculations, the group of adventurers created a surprising exhibition route combining mold and glitter, ashes and glamour. For one evening, the Corso will be filled with explosive sounds and images for a fiery tribute to the nights of Renens.