This year’s viennacontemporary invites art enthusiasts from the 7th to 10th of September 2023 to Kursalon Vienna, which will once again host this prestigious international art fair, offering a captivating mix of established galleries, emerging talents and carefully selected exhibitions.
Contemporary Lynx will be present as usual, to provide live coverage directly from the event. Stay in touch with us on Facebook and Instagram, where we will share daily doses of this extraordinary experience. Trade fair attendees are more than welcome to visit our press stand – a chance to interact with us directly.
In the meantime, we selected the most intriguing events and exhibitions to consider during your stay in Vienna. This collection aims to enrich your stay by offering a broad cultural experience beyond the fair itself. We hope that this guide will inspire you to discover the diverse range of the city’s activities during viennacontemporary, ensuring you don’t miss anything that the artistic Vienna has to offer.
1. viennacontemporary
Kursalon Vienna
Johannesgasse 33,
1010 Vienna
Page: www.viennacontemporary.at
Austria’s leading international art fair invites you to Kursalon Vienna from the 7th-10th of September 2023. Viennacontemporary brings together the contemporary art worlds of Western and Eastern Europe. It is divided into two curated zones: the special exhibition ‘ZONE1’ dedicated to emerging young Austrian talent and the special programme ‘VCT STATEMENT 2023: Political Homelessness and Contemporary Citizenship,’ which explores the concept of belonging in contemporary Europe.
2. PARALLEL VIENNA
Otto Wagner Areal
Baumgartnerhöhe 1,
1140 Vienna
Page: www.parallelvienna.com
The 11th edition of PARALLEL VIENNA takes place from September 5th to 10th. Breaking the mold of traditional art fairs, PARALLEL VIENNA blurs the lines between the art fair, exhibition platform, and artist studio. Instead of standard booths, each exhibitor occupies a dedicated room within the venue, resulting in site-specific artworks that define the fair’s uniqueness. This curated event welcomes participants by invitation only, bringing fresh perspectives and creative interventions to the fore.
PARALLEL VIENNA is a melting pot of artistic practices, uniting emerging and established talent, Austrian and international, in one dynamic space. Here, you’ll find galleries, project spaces, and artist initiatives coming together, fostering connections among artists, curators, collectors and art enthusiasts.
The full list of exhibitors and artists taking part in this year’s PARALLEL VIENNA is available on the event’s website.
3. Curated by
Page: www.curatedby.at
Curated by is a gallery festival in Vienna with international curators taking place from the 12th of September until the 14th of October, with opening days on the 8th and 9th of September. This year’s theme and title have been collectively selected by all participating galleries. Under the title ‘The Neutral’ the event explores a political and aesthetic strategy which has taken on heightened ambiguity in the current landscape. In the wake of recent transformative events, the concept of neutrality has once again claimed a central position in both political and cultural realms. Prompting questions such as ‘What does neutrality entail?’ and‘ Can we responsibly embrace neutrality as a guiding principle in our political engagements?’ the event delves into the nuanced dimensions of neutrality’s implications in contemporary society.
The full list of galleries participating in the festival is available on their website.
4. Albertina modern
Karlsplatz 5,
1010 Vienna
Page: www.albertina.at
Until November 1 you can visit Albertina modern to see Yoshitomo Nara’s exhibition titled ‘All My Little Words.’ The exhibition focuses on Nara’s extensive collection of drawings spanning four decades, exhibited in an arrangement crafted by the artist himself. The exhibit showcases his evolution, from early experimental works on paper to sculptures and a sprawling installation. These drawings, often scribbled on ephemera like paper, envelopes, and flyers, mirror his socio-political concerns, drawing inspiration from music, literature, sub and pop culture. They delve into societal norms, values, and ideals with a personal touch, covering vulnerability, existential depths, rebellion, and unruliness.
Nara’s figures, reminiscent of comics and cartoons due to their exaggerated proportions, align with Japanese Superflat aesthetics. This movement, akin to Pop Art, blends high culture, subculture, and daily life.
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Yoshitomo Nara, Cup Kid, 2000, collection of the artist, courtesy Pace Gallery, photo: Yoshitomo Nara, © Yoshitomo Nara -
Yoshitomo Nara, Miss Margaret, 2016, private Collection, United States of America, photo: Yoshitomo Nara, © Yoshitomo Nara -
Yoshitomo Nara, Dream to Dream, 2001, collection of the artist, courtesy of Pace Gallery, photo: Yoshitomo Nara, © Yoshitomo Nara
5. Albertina Museum
Albertinapl. 1,
1010 Vienna
Page: www.albertina.at
It’s the last chance to see an exhibition dedicated to Georg Baselitz. Only until the 17th of September, the exhibit celebrates the donation of 100 pioneering works on paper.
Baselitz’s impact on post-1945 art history is undeniable. The retrospective selection on display retraces his journey in search of a new depiction method. His art fuses representation with abstraction, drawing on intensive art history study. This rebellious approach fuels his revolutionary creations, evident in his motif reversals which free him to explore pictorial design.
Spanning from early to recent works, the exhibit showcases the autonomy of his drawings, intrinsically linked to his paintings. These works aren’t mere sketches; each poses a distinct artistic challenge using various materials.
6. Belvedere 21
Arsenalstraße 1
1030 Vienna
Page: www.belvedere.at
Only until the 10th of September, Belvedere 21 displays an immersive Alois Mosbacher’s exhibition.
The artist transforms everyday objects – ropes, balls, cacti – into intimate snapshots of nature’s private experiences. Enigmatic images emerge, capturing chance encounters and paradoxical object interactions in unfamiliar landscapes.
Since the 1980s, Mosbacher’s art has expanded beyond plants and animals, embracing diverse subjects while cleverly internalizing art history and contemporary trends. His landscapes and figurative compositions remain open to interpretation yet resist simplistic explanations. While not purely abstract, his works embody materiality and individuality, transcending representation. The display defies convention, allowing free movement between works, creating a rhythmic habitat. The exhibition redefines perception and showcases Mosbacher’s playful, enigmatic style with trademark humor.
When you’re there don’t forget to visit the Belvedere 21 sculpture garden, showcasing works by internationally renowned artists.
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Alois Mosbacher, The Night, 2017, courtesy of Alois Mosbacher, © Alois Mosbacher / Bildrecht, Vienna 2023 -
Alois Mosbacher, Bride, 2022, courtesy of Alois Mosbacher, © Alois Mosbacher / Bildrecht, Vienna 2023 -
Alois Mosbacher. Palinops, exhibition view, photo: Johannes Stoll, © Bildrecht, Vienna 2023
7. mumok – Museum moderner Kunst Stiftung Ludwig Wien
Museumsplatz 1,
1070 Vienna
Page: www.mumok.at
Untilthe 7th of January 2024 mumok displays New York artist Adam Pendleton’s first comprehensive solo exhibition in Europe titled ‘Blackness, White, and Light.’ Pendleton’s art serves as a seamless record of captured, shifted and layered gestures. From 2008 onward, his work has been shaped by the concept of Black Dada, an ever-evolving exploration of the connections between Blackness, abstraction and the avant-garde. In his various creations, a visual philosophy of partial assumptions takes form, blurring boundaries between clarity and abstraction, historical and contemporary, the known and unfamiliar.
Additionally, mumok is presenting several more exhibitions at this time, which should not be missed like the Elisabeth Wild or Agnes Fuchs exhibition.
8. MAK – Museum of Applied Arts
Stubenring 5,
1010 Vienna
Page: www.mak.at
Don’t miss out on the very special exhibition on display only until the 10th of September. The exhibition ‘/imagine: A Journey into The New Virtual’ offers a glimpse into diverse design strategies of ‘The New Virtual’. International architects, designers and artists present projects exploring the challenges and possibilities of virtual space, encompassing its social, ecological, political and infrastructural dimensions.
Structured around four themes, Speculative Narratives, Research Investigations, Dreamscapes, and AI Variations, the exhibit showcases recent work and commissions. These projects create narratives and perspectives within virtual space that hold potential to extend into the physical world.
Users can engage with the Midjourney software by using the command ‘/imagine:’ to craft their own architectural utopias. An AI interprets text prompts, generating an array of images with limitless variations.
9. Kunsthalle Wien Museumsquartier
Museumsplatz 1,
1070 Vienna
Page: www.kunsthallewien.at
Laure Prouvost’s ‘Ohmmm age Oma je ohomma mama’ exhibition (on display until the 1st of October) is the artist’s debut solo exhibition, uniting Kunsthalle Wien and Wiener Festwochen. This multimedia showcase, including her new film “Here Her Heart Hovers” delves into a homage to grandmothers (oma), exploring origins, history, and transmission through generations. Prouvost concocts a fantastical lineage, from inspiring historical figures to her personal connections.
Laure Prouvost’s art awakens the senses and imagination, humorously addressing contemporary concerns. Her playful narratives pave innovative paths, featuring a distinctive sensory and linguistic playfulness. The exhibition transforms into a surreal, tangled dream, erasing boundaries between the past, present, and future. Stories, encounters, and memories converge, depicted through various forms. Prouvost beckons us to see our interconnectedness in a fluid world, guarding legacies while guiding future journeys.
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Laure Prouvost, Ohmmm age Oma je ohomma mama: Hi Her Garden, 2023, installation view, Kunsthalle Wien 2023, photo: Iris Ranzinger -
Laure Prouvost, Ohmmm age Oma je ohomma mama: Hi Her Garden, 2023, installation view, Kunsthalle Wien 2023, photo: Iris Ranzinger -
Laure Prouvost, Ohmmm age Oma je ohomma mama: Moving Her, 2023, installation view Kunsthalle Wien 2023, photo: Iris Ranzinger
However, that is not all. If you are in Vienna during the viennacontemporary, you can also take advantage of many other activities taking place in the city during this time. September can be a perfect time to visit Vienna. As the summer holidays draw to a close, the vibrant heart of the city comes alive as residents return from their holidays. This rush of local life brings with it a wave of exciting events and activities to satisfy every taste and interest.
On the weekend of the 9th and 10th of September, take part in Open House Vienna, when plenty of Vienna’s lesser-known architectural treasures remain accessible to the public (dozens of them for free!).
From the 7th to the 9th of September you can enjoy new musical talent from around the world through dozens of live performances during Waves Vienna.
What’s more, the Queerfilmfestival, which shows the best of recent queer filmmaking, takes place from the 7th to the 13th of September.
Vitalizing the Discurse Interview with Boris Ondreička, the viennacontemporary 2023 Artistic Director
This month, we are heading to Vienna, where viennacontemporary Art Fair will take place between September 7th and 10th. Before we see each other in Kursalon Vienna walking around and exploring presentations of 61 galleries from 20 countries, we would like to encourage you to read our interview with the Artistic Director, Boris Ondreička. This is the best way to prepare yourself and fruitfully spend time during this year’s viennacontemporary.
