ARTISTHelnwein

Portraits of children from a local Jewish school were unveiled to kickoff the extensive restoration of the Stadttempel, Vienna's oldest synagogue, in the runup to its 200th anniversary. 'They are the guarantee that Judaism will always be part of Austria,' said artist Gottfried Helnwein.

A dedicated room focuses on Viennese Actionism and performance art, featuring works by Günter Brus, VALIE EXPORT, Hermann Nitsch, Klaus Rinke, and Rudolf Schwarzkogler. A special highlight: early lesser known works by Gottfried Helnwein

In die abstrakte Sprache von Musik transformiert, berichtet die „Passion“ von Gerd Hermann Ortler von Grausamkeit, Gewalt und unendlichem Leid. Die trotz aller kammermusikalischen Sensibilität gewaltige Musik des großen Komponisten ist inspiriert und gesättigt vom tiefen Schmerz der Gemälde Gottfried Helnweins.- Klaus Albrecht Schröder

Radical Beauty radically questions our perception of beauty, attractiveness and aesthetics. In this globally unique photo project, over 60 internationally renowned fashion and art photographers worked together with people with Down syndrome to develop individual images and photo series. Surprising and unique portraits were created in professional studio conditions. The protagonists include experienced performers such as actresses Sarah Gordy (UK) and Lily Moore (USA), but the majority of them lead a life outside the limelight.

Tony Cragg, Gottfried Helnwein, Maria Lassnig, Hermann Nitsch, Arnulf Rainer, Hubert Scheibl, Erwin Wurm, Eduard Angeli, Gunter Damisch, Xenia Hausner, Kiki Kogelnik

Xian Zheng zeigt im Kubin-Haus eine umfangreiche Serie von Ateliers bildender Künstler:innen aus Österreich, die in den letzten vier Jahren entstanden ist. Präzise und detailgetreu gibt die Künstlerin mit unzähligen Bleistiftstrichen die aus der Vogelperspektive erfassten Interieurs wider. Die großformatigen Zeichnungen geben Einblick in die faszinierenden Entstehungsorte von Kunst und die Schaffensumgebung zahlreicher Künstler:innen, von Johanna Kandl bis Gottfried Helnwein.

Part I, opening soon, will highlight artists from the very first year, such as abstractionists, Erik Saxon, James Hayward, and David Simpson alongside international gallery stalwarts including Austrian painter and conceptual artist Gottfried Helnwein and French Nouveau Réaliste Jacques Villeglé [1926-2022], among many others.

Helnwein imitates the alleged incorruptibility of a camera using the means of painting. In fact, the artist uses photographs as a template and thus comes even closer to reality. But it is precisely painting that relegates all depictions to the realm of fiction. The precision and cleanliness of his working method transform dirty reality into meditative, quiet images that, when viewed, inevitably maneuver us into a dilemma between beauty and horror, admiration and disgust, attraction and protest. Helnwein's works are timeless statements against appropriation, aggression, destruction and violence.

Drei großformatige Triptychon-Darstellungen über Jesu Tod, Auferstehung und Geistaussendung sind von Aschermittwoch, dem 14. Februar bis zur Langen Nacht der Kirchen am 7. Juni zu sehen.

The Philharmonie de Paris has decided to turn its attention to extreme music, devoting a brand-new exhibition to it from April 4 to September 29, 2024. An opportunity to learn more about this powerful musical genre by exploring its codes and the wealth of its myths. For the first time in France, an installation will present a documented picture of this movement, where music, popular culture, anthropological vision and contemporary art are in dialogue.

The exhibition KAFKAESQUE focuses on reflections on Franz Kafka's work and poetics in contemporary visual art offering not a historical perspective of his work, but a view that reflects our present-day situation with all its complexities and ambiguities.