Here’s our selection of the most interesting and not-to-miss exhibitions coming up this autumn in Vienna:
Visions of Nature
© Myoung Ho Lee, courtesy Yossi Milo Gallery, New York
Where: Kunst Haus Wien
When: WED, September 13, 2017 – SUN, February 18, 2018
Entry: 9€, students 5€
Combining the works of 25 Austrian and international photographers, Kunst Haus Wien’s new exhibition is exploring the relationship between mankind and nature. Focusing on the impact of mankind – that never has been as far-reaching as it is today – the exhibited pictures address the role of photography and video in trying to understand the relation and border between nature and humankind.
Thomas Bayrle. Wenn etwas zu lang ist – mach es länger / If it’s too long, make it longer
Where: MAK, Galerie
When: WED, October 25, 2017 – MON, April 2, 2018
Entry: 9.90€, students 7.50€, free entry every Tuesday 6pm–10pm
Berlin-born artist, Thomas Bayrle, will be featured at MAK this autumn with a solo exhibition that showcases a combination of his multi-medium works, along with his computer-generated art. Art, handicraft and industrial production are explored through dyeing, weaving and programming processes, creating kaleidoscopic forms and ornaments.
Kunst ins Leben! / Art into Lift! Collector Wolfgang Hahn and the 60s
© Bildrecht Wien, photo: mumok
Where: MUMOK
When: FRI, November 10, 2017 – SUN, June 24, 2018
Entry: 18€, students 10€
Discover the avant garde movement that emerged in Rhineland in the 1960s, and one of the first collectors of its works, Wolfgang Hahn, in MUMOK’s autumn exhibition. The title “Art into Life” was taken literally back then, as they attempted to overcome old traditions in painting by using everyday objects, texts and musical scores.
VICTOR HUGO. The Dark Romanticist
© Institut für Kunstgeschichte der Universität Wien, René Steyer
Where: Leopold Museum
When: FRI, November 17, 2017 – MON, January 15, 2018
Entry: 13€, students 9€
Learn more about Victor Hugo’s life as a passionate painter. Yep that’s right, he wasn’t just a talented author who wrote novels that are bestsellers to this day, but he also painted similar motifs that were inspired by similar themes to what he wrote about, including his portrayal of society’s working and poor classes, a range of cathedrals and palaces renderings. His paintings reveal he applied a seemingly limitless freedom to his work and material.
Anton Kolig
© Leopold Museum | Bildrecht, Wien, 2016
Where: Leopold Museum
When: FRI, September 22, 2017 – MON, January 8, 2018
Entry: 13€, students 9€
Portraits and figural allegories painted by a masterly energetic hand in vibrant colours – that’s Anton Kolig, the most eminent Austrian painter from the first half of the 20th century. The first comprehensive solo exhibition from him in over 50 years will be held at the Leopold Museum.
Publishing as an artistic toolbox: 1989–2017
© Kunsthalle Wien
Where: Kunsthalle Wien, MQ
When: November 3, 2017 – January 28, 2018
Entry: 8€ (students 2€), pay as you wish every Sunday
Questioning the role of publishing today and exploring publishing as a medium – that’s what the exhibition at the Kunsthalle MQ will be all about. It will shine a light on the past 28 years of publishing and look at the great potential of publishing: used as aesthetic and artistic experimentation to produce art, and as a platform for individual or collective discourse to circulate information and knowledge.
Aging Pride
© Joyce Tenneson
Where: Unteres Belvedere
When: November 17, 2017 – March 4, 2018
Entry: 13€, students 10€
Aging – a bang up-to-date topic will be looked at, at this fascinating exhibition. Society associates age with many things, like power, experience, wisdom, but this exhibition will also shine a light on our obsession with anti-aging measures, and the end station of ageing – death. Probably don’t take your Oma to this one. The Belvedere will be dedicating an exhibition to this socio-political subject by looking at the historical and artistic position. Age will be considered from every angle, focussing on gender roles and their assignments, and inter-generational solidarity.
Rubens. Kraft der Verwandlung / The Power of Transformation
© Museo Nacional del Prado
Where: Kunsthistorisches Museum
When: TUE, October 17, 2017 – SUN, January 21, 2018
Entry: 15€ (students 11€)
A star of the Baroque era, an artistic genius, even an icon during his lifetime – Peter Paul Rubens – will be showcased in Vienna’s art history museum this weekend. The Power of Transformation at the Kunsthistorisches Museum will shine a light on some of his masterpieces in the context of Ruben’s preparatory works. Visitors can thus get a feeling of how the Dutch artist worked, how his vivid pieces came to life, and who inspired him.
100 Beste Plakate 16 / 100 Best Posters 16
© Rocket & Wink
Where: MAK, Kunstblättersaal
When: WED, October 18, 2017 – SUN, February 25, 2018
Entry: 9.90€, students 7.50€, free entry every Tuesday 6pm–10pm
Find a selection of the best of poster design out of Austria, Germany and Switzerland at the annual 100 Beste Plakate exhibition at MAK. Yep, posters can make for some powerful art too! Chosen by an internationally renowned jury of experts, the exhibition presents the best posters designed last year for you to have a peek at and get some great inspiration for your own work. Or to just have a random look at a bunch of very beautiful works of graphic design.
Plus: Join a curator’s guided tour on THU, October 19 / November 23 / January 18, 4pm
Helena Rubinstein. Pioneer of Beauty
Where: Jewish Museum Judenplatz
When: WED, October 18, 2017 – SUN, May 6, 2018
Entry: 12€ (students 8€)
Helena Rubinstein was a pioneer of female entrepreneurship. She moved from country to country, while founding beauty salon after beauty salon and developing her own products – she had quite a life! This exhibition at the Jewish Museum Judenplatz will look at Rubinstein – a patron of the arts and sciences herself – with a focus on her life in Vienna.
Ineke Hans. Was ist Loos?
Where: Kunsthalle Karlsplatz
When: THU, September 28, 2017 – SUN, November 12, 2017
Entry: 3€ (students 2€)
The Was ist Loos? exhibition will show Ineke Hans’ more recent work, while exploring the present and future of design. The social needs of the current time and the subsequent need for objects to have a social dimension to their functionality, are what Hans aims to reflect in her designs. Not only is the Dutch designer creating new objects with a focus on Vienna solely for this show at the Kunsthalle Karlsplatz, but she is also trying to find new ways of developing and distributing design concepts.
VIENNA CALLING. A HISTORY OF POP MUSIC
Where: Wien Museum Karlsplatz
When: THU, September 14, 2017 – SUN, March 25, 2018
Entry: 10€ (students 7€), first Sunday of every month = free entry
Have you ever wondered what the hottest and hippest places for pop used to be in Vienna? Who the hottest people were (or still are)? The Wien Museum Karlsplatz will be dedicating an exhibition to 60 years of pop history in Vienna, looking at all the cool venues and all the cool people, including the likes of Ambros, Falco, Vienna. Fucking. Wrstelstand, Wanda, and Bilderbuch. There is plenty to see and plenty to hear there for just 10€!
Duett mit Künstler_in. Partizipation als künstlerisches Prinzip
Duet with Artist. Participation as Artistic Principle
© Carsten Eisfeld
Where: 21er Haus
When: WED, September 27, 2017 – SUN, February 4, 2018
Entry: 7€ (students 5.50€)
The audience is playing an active role in the creation of art works, and this played a big factor of the exhibition Duet with Artist at the 21er Haus. It will also reflects on how artists have activated visitors and called them to action in the past and how they are doing so now.
Other exhibitions to check out this autumn
Form Follows Paragraph @ Az W, November 23, 2017 – April 4, 2018
Architecture is influenced in many ways, and this exhibit will focus on how architects battle with their need to adhere to building regulations and standards in their design. With a historical dimension in mind, the question arises whether famous sites of Vienna would have been possible under current regulations, and will also ask the question: what rules society need, and which are actually too much. The exhibit will also try to spur an open discussion while using clear examples.
Natural Histories. Traces of the Political @ MUMOK, September 23, 2017 – January 14, 2018
In this exhibition at the MUMOK, interrelations between nature and history will be looked at, showing how nature takes back everything regardless of the situation. Starting from the 1960s to the present, traditions of colonialism and society are transformed into contemporary environments. This fascinating exhibition doesn’t shy away from including issues like genocide and military conflict.
Ferdinand Hodler @ Leopold Museum, October 13, 2017 – January 22, 2018
Ferdinand Hodler is known as a pioneer of Expressionism and an exponent for Symbolism and Jugendstil. He inspired many other great artists of Viennese Modernism, such as Klimt, Kokoschka, and Schiele. This exhibition at the Leopold Museum will be the most comprehensive retrospective exhibition, with a focus on landscapes, portraits, and figural compositions.
Reflexions – 11 Contemporary Interpretations of Old Master @ Kunsthistorisches Museum, September 20, 2017 – February 25, 2018
A contemporary positions with different approaches by young photographers selected by a jury of 11 will be shown in the Bassano Hall of the Kunsthistorische Museum. Paintings in the Picture Gallery were used as a tool for getting creative inspiration for the works and encouraging confrontation with Old Master (painters before 1800) artwork.
TRACES OF TIME @ Leopold Museum, October 20, 2017 – February 26, 2018
Contemporary artistic strategies for exploring and questioning visual culture with a research-based approach.
Robert Frank @ Albertina, October 25, 2017 – January 21, 2018
Robert Frank is well-known for his photo group ‘The Americans’ that was shot in the 60s and highlights the post-war American way of life. The exhibition at the Albertina will be showing selected groups of works that make it possible for the visitor to follow the footsteps of Robert Frank’s development as an artist – starting with his Swiss photo reportages & travel photos, to his more introspective work he did later his career.
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