Swiss Painter & Sculptor. Jurist. Author. Researcher on AI & Society.
Sarah Montani is a Swiss artist, jurist, author and researcher whose work explores the intersections of artificial intelligence, society, history and collective memory. As a painter and sculptor with a long-standing international exhibition profile, she is known for combining traditional artistic techniques with augmented reality and for bridging physical and digital forms of expression. A digital pioneer and entrepreneur, she co-founded several companies, including Weblaw, and served for 25 years as editor of the legal journal Jusletter. She studied law at the University of Bern as well as psychology.
Alongside her artistic practice, Montani writes and researches on artificial intelligence and its impact on society, as well as on history, psychology, art and law. Her books and essays often examine how technology shapes perception, memory and visibility. Her articles and contributions have appeared in major Swiss media, including Neue Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ), Le Temps, 24 heures and Tribune de Genève.
Uniting the Seen and the Unseen.
Sarah Montani’s art reveals what often remains invisible. Through painting, sculpture and augmented reality, she explores hidden layers of history, society, nature and technology. Her work addresses equality, environmental protection, cultural heritage and artificial intelligence. It has been presented in public spaces and in more than 30 museums and exhibitions worldwide.
Discover her work
Visit her World Expo+. Look at TED Talk and Swiss TV.
50+ Women Across Two Centuries
The Unwritten History of Valais
In her book Das Wallis ist eine Frau – Le Valais est une femme, Sarah Montani brings women back into the history of Valais. Through more than 50 biographical portraits and 56 essays, the book traces lives, voices and experiences that have too often remained outside the official narrative. Moving between history, memory, art, society and artificial intelligence, it asks who becomes visible, who is remembered – and how the stories we preserve shape the future. Bilingual German/French, with more than 275 illustrations. Published in autumn 2026.
59 Generations Deep in Time
The Unseen Past.
In her new book Vorfahr:in, she traces her family history back more than 59 generations, uncovering forgotten lineages and hidden connections. The work offers a new perspective on the history of Valais, with a particular focus on the lives and roles of women, bringing overlooked stories into the present. 572 pages, 2nd edition, 2026.
Old techniques, revisited.
She is best known for her inventive approach, combining inks with beeswax, resin, shellac, and oil. Wax painting, a 3,000-year-old technique, is central to her work. She brings this ancient knowledge into the present.
Bridging Art & Technology.
She paints with spatula and fire, working on wood and canvas. Her practice explores the intersection of art and technology through the use of augmented reality (AR). In 2020, she founded Sfeisme, a visual art form that uses AR to create dynamic projections on physical two- and three-dimensional artworks. These projections can be viewed and interacted with on a smartphone, without the need for additional apps or VR-specific glasses.
Pioneering Augmented Reality in Public Space
Her work was exhibited in more than 30 museums worldwide, including the World Expo. Active since 2005, Sarah Montani has established an international presence, with her art featured in numerous galleries and exhibitions. In 2022, she became the first sculptor to present augmented reality art at Skulptura, one of the largest sculpture exhibitions in German-speaking Europe. That same year, at the Biennale Arte Expo Venice, she was the only artist working with augmented reality. In 2023 and 2024, she created Switzerland’s first public monuments in augmented reality. From 2025 to 2026, she created Zermatt’s Floating Sculptures, Switzerland’s first augmented reality trail.
From 2026 to 2027, her current project Swiss Lakes brings sculptural interventions to nine lakes across Switzerland, drawing attention to the fragile ecosystems of the country’s waters.
Contact.
sarah.montani@weblaw.ch
Sarah Montani
Stoa Now GmbH
Schwarztorstrasse 22
3007 Berne – Switzerland