Vienna Art Guide - October

I.

Exhibition: Traces of Time
Artists: Mladen Bizumic, Cäcilia Brown, Andreas Fogarasi, Sofie Thorsen, Kay Walkowiak, Anita Witek
Venue: Leopold Museum
Date: October 20th, 2017 to February 20th, 2018

This exhibition focuses on contemporary artistic strategies dedicated to exploring and questioning visual culture. Their emphasis is on the construction of visual aspects in art, photography and architecture, as well as in everyday objects. The featured works show that rather than merely establishing facts, documentation is now characterized by an open-mindedness that focuses on the construction of perception and culture.

Image © Anita Witek with kind support of http://letrangere.net/artist/anita-witek

II.

Exhibition: BC21 Art Award 2017
Artists: Judith Fegerl, Anja Ronacher, Toni Schmale, Anne Speier
Venue: 21er Haus
Dates: September 20 to Novemer 19

For the sixth time, the Boston consulting Group (BCG) and the Belvedere are granting the BC21 Art Award. The works by the four artists nominated for the grant are on view at 21er Haus.  There artists are Judith Fegerl (born 1977), Anja Ronacher (born 1979), Toni Schmale (born 1980), and Anne Speier (born 1977), who all live and work in Vienna. The laureate will be chosen at the beginning of October 2017. This exhibition is curated by Luisa Ziaja.

Image: Toni Schmale © Belvedere, Vienna

III.

Exhibition: The Power of Transformation
Artists: Peter Paul Rubens
Venue: Kunst Historisches Museum Wien
Dates: October 17 to January 21

This exhibition shows 70 loans from the world´s foremost collections such as the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, the Prado in Madrid and the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C.. Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640) was a star during his lifetime, and he remains a star today. His name is synonymous with an entire period in art history – the Baroque. Masterpieces are shown here in the context of Rubens' preparatory drawings, oil sketches, panel paintings and canvases.

Image: Peter Paul Rubens

Take a tour with Itai in Vienna to discover more!

The Top Arty Destinations This Fall

With copious art events to choose from this season, we decided to create a handy list of the top five global arty events we recommend.  

I. 

Event: Vienna Contemporary

Dates: September 21st to September 24th

Venue: Marx Halle | Vienna Karl-Farkas-Gasse 19, 1030 Vienna

Vienna insider, Itai Margula has declared Vienna Contemporary, “a must see in the Viennese art calendar”! This year the fair includes 110 galleries and cultural institutions from 27 different countries and will present the art of over 500 artists. It is precisely this international aspect of the fair that makes it a must for Itai. He told us, “offering an intriguing selection of contemporary art in Central and Eastern Europe together with an exquisite set of Austrian and international galleries, the fair has gained the reputation of bridging the East and the West.” 

“A highlight of the program is ZONE1, an established format showcasing the work of young artists” explained Itai. The ten artists selected for ZONE1 are all below the age of 40 and were either born or educated in Austria. Of the artists highlighted this year, Itai recommends seeing the work of Kay Walkowiak (Zeller van Almsick Gallery), “whose sculptural objects open up a choreography of references on the canon of forms of 20th-century painting”, and Samuel Schaab (Unttld Contemporary), “who developed a performative installation especially for ZONE1.” 

Take a private tour with Itai in Vienna to discover more!

© viennacontemporary / A. Murashkin

II.

Event: Fiac (International Contemporary Art Fair)

Dates: October 19th to October 22nd

Venue: Grand Palais | Avenue Winston Churchill 75008 Paris | and other venues

Our Paris insider, Judith Souriau, couldn't be more ready for Fiac and the exciting energy it brings to the city! "The Fiac week is bursting with events and parties", Judith explained, "and both galleries and museums keep their best shows for that time of year. If you’re into modern and contemporary art it’s definitely the best time to visit Paris". This year Fiac will feature around 180 galleries within the Grand Palais which include both established major galleries and the emerging generation. The Lafayette Sector is best for those visitors inclined towards the younger generation of gallerists, as it was created to seek out and promote galleries who have existed for ten years or less. 

The majority of the fair will be held within the Grand Palais however make sure to explore the Hors les murs (outside the walls) programmes free of cost in the Jardin des Tuileries, Place Vendôme, and Musée Delacroix. Judith is also looking forward to going beyond the walls of the Grand Palais, she said, "I can’t wait to put on my sneakers and walk not only the Fiac but smaller fairs such as Paris Internationale and Asia Now that bring to town the very best of international contemporary art galleries."

Take a private tour with Judith to discover more!

Galerie du Secteur Général: Kohn Gallery / Artiste: Lita Albuquerque / Titre de l'oeuvre: Fibonacci Lunar Activation / Année: 2017 / ©the artiste and Kohn Gallery

III. 

Event: Frieze London

Dates: October 5th to October 8th

Venue: Regent's Park 

“Frieze week is my favourite time of year" our London insider, Marine Tanguy gushed, "I am very much looking forward to seeing the stand of Blum & Poe gallery as it's one of my favourite Los Angeles galleries and Frieze is a great opportunity to visit international art galleries on your doorstep." While Frieze London focuses exclusively on contemporary art Frieze Masters, which is running simultaneously to Frieze London, includes international modern and historical galleries.    

Take a private tour with Marine to discover more!

BIRGIT JÜRGENSSEN, UNTITLED (BODY PROJECTION) (1988/2009) / https://www.galeriewinter.at/en/

IV.

Event: Warsaw Gallery Weekend

Dates: September 22nd to September 24th

Venue: Various Galleries

2017 marks the seventh year of Warsaw Gallery Weekend, a three day activity-packed fair organized by private galleries in the city showcasing contemporary art. The gallery scene in Warsaw is fairly young which makes this fair all the more exciting as the city comes into its own in the art world. Included in the event are two galleries that came to prominence early in the emerging Warsaw scene during the late nineties, Foksal Gallery Foundation and Raster Gallery. Make sure to stop by Raster Gallery on September 22nd for the opening of a show of Mika Tajima’s work called AIR, which coincides with the opening night of Warsaw gallery weekend.   

With 26 galleries throughout the city participating this year we asked our Warsaw insider, Zuzanna Zasacka, to tell us where to start! Zuzanna shared what she’s most excited about, “I am already looking forward to see Wilhelm Sasnal at Foksal Gallery Foundation, Katarzyna Przezwańska at Dawid Radziwszewski Gallery and Odile Bernard Schroeder at Pola Magnetyczne.” 

Take a private tour with Zuzanna to discover more!

V. 

Event: The Jerusalem Biennale

Dates: October 1st to November 16th

Venue: Various Venues 

The 2017 Jerusalem Biennale's title is Watershed, a word which "can be used as a metaphor to help us think about ourselves and the way we split and converge as individuals and groups". The Biennale is primarily interested in exploring the intersections of the Jewish world and contemporary art. We are excited to see how over 200 artists from Israel, Europe, the U.S, Russia and even India explore this theme.  

The juxtaposition of contemporary art within the context of the ancient city of Jerusalem makes this Biennale truly unique. Oh-So-Arty Jerusalem insider, Jenna Romano, said the Biennale "is bigger than ever, and this year features... 27 exhibitions at 8 diverse venues through out the city." One of those unique venues is the Tower of David, a structure dating to the Ottoman Empire.  

Take a private tour with Jenna to discover more!

Dawn/ Hila Ben-Ari /2011

Thumbnail Photo: Gerard & Kelly, State Of © Gerard & Kelly

Vienna Art Guide - September

I.

Exhibition: Sir
Artist: Fischerspooner
Venue:  MUMOK
Dates: June 30 to October 29

Warren Fischer and Casey Spooner founded their art, music, and performance project FISCHERSPOONER in 1998 in New York. Success came quickly after perfomances at MoMA and their song „Emerge“ which landed a top 40 hit in the British charts in 2002. With their show „Sir“ they present their own queer-lustrous and passionate universe. A site specific installation remodels Spooner´s New York apartment. The installation is an artistic extension of their new album project, produced by Michael Stipe (R.E.M.) Curated by: Marianne Dobner.

Photo: Warren Fischer and Casey Spooner © Mumok | Foto: Yuki James

II.

Exhibition : HOT HOT HOT
Artist: Toni Schmale
Venue: Secession
Dates: September 14 to November 05

Toni Schmale´s works in mediums such as installation, performance, sculpture, animation, video and drawing question the gender constructions that exist in social power relations. Objects made of hot-dip galvanised steel with an electrostatic powder coating as well as concrete and moulded rubber refer to subjects such as sexuality and gender, fetishism, sport and physical exertion. 

Photo: Toni Schmale, wildkatze, 2016, Courtesy oft he artist and Galerie Christine König, Photo: Peer Sievers

III.

Exhibition: curated by_vienna: image/reads/text
Artist: Various artist
Venue: Various Galleries
Dates: September 15 to October 14

Curated By is Vienna's gallery festival. Every Year, curated by_vienna is dedicated to a specific theme. The festival´s title „image/reads/text“ was coined by the artist Heinrich Dunst. This year you will find 21 individual exhibitions in 21 Galleries related to this broad horizon.

Photo: Calacatta Gold, 2017 © Hong Zeiss | Foto: Manuel Lopez

Take a private tour with Itai in Vienna to discover more!

Vienna Art Guide - July

- by Itai Margula

MAK and more, Albertina, 21er Haus: Vienna's Biennale 2017 explores our society together with the presence of robots. Maria Lassnig's drawings focusing on the human body and Erwin Wurm's sculptures are the leftovers of a performative act.


I.
Exhibition title: Vienna Biennale 2017 – Hello, Robot.
Artists: various artists
Venue: MAK
Dates: Until 1 October, 2017


The Vienna Biennale 2017 - Robots. Work. Our Future - combines art, design and architecture. In various museums and institutions (MAK Vienna, Kunsthalle Wien,  AzW and AIL) you will find till October exhibitions, installations and talks.
"Hello, Robot." is an exhibition of the MAK, the Vitra Design Museum, and the Design Museum Gent.

Foto: Stephan Bogner, Phillipp Schmitt, Jonas Voigt, Raising Robotic Natives, 2016  © Jonas Voigt

II.
Exhibition title: Maria Lassnig - Dialogues
Artist: Maria Lassnig
Venue: Albertina
Dates: Until August 17, 2017


Maria Lassnig is one of the most important women artists oft he 20th century. Her own body became the central focus of her art. The current show in the Albertina brings together 80 of the artist more beautiful hand drawings. An exhibition of the Albertina in cooperation with Kunstmuseum Basel. 

Foto: Bird of Prey, 2000, Albertina, Vienna © 2017 Maria Lassnig Foundation
 

III.
Exhibition title: Erwin Wurm – Performative Sculptures
Artist: Erwin Wurm
Venue: 21er Haus
Dates: Until 10 September, 2017


Erwin Wurm's work are on display alongside Brigitte Kowanz at the Austrian Pavillion of this year´s Art Biennale in Venice. The show at the 21er Haus shows a series of statues and performative sculptures. More then this you can visit Erwin Wurm's Fat House at the Belvedere. Curated by: Severin Dünser and Alfred Weidinger. 

Foto: Erwin Wurm, Boxing Glove, 2016, Courtesy König Galerie,  © Belvedere, Vienna (Photo: Johannes Stoll) / © Bildrecht, Vienna, 2017