Viennacontemporary 2024: an interview with Francesca Gavin and Mirela Baciak.

Viennacontemporary is an international art fair held annually in Vienna. It showcases a diverse range of contemporary art, featuring galleries, artists, and curators from around the world, although its focus remains on the emerging scenes of Central and Eastern Europe. The 2024 edition will take place in Halle D of Messe Wien from 12th to 15th September and will include a supporting programme of performances, tours and events. 

We had a chat with Francesca Gavin, the fair’s recently appointed artistic director, and Mirela Baciak, the curator of a two-part exhibition titled The Color of Energy which will be presented as part of the fair’s section focused on sociopolitical issues. 

Francesca is an editor, consultant, writer and curator based between London and Vienna. Having written numerous books and articles on the topic, she is regarded as an important voice in the contemporary art world. She initially got involved in the 2023 viennacontemporary as the curator of last year’s ZONE1 exhibition and was appointed the artistic director in October 2023, succeeding Boris Ondreička.

Aleksandra Mainka-Pawłowska: This year’s viennacontemporary will be the first one under your direction. What is your vision for the art fair and its future?

Francesca Gavin: I want the viennacontemporary to be the central event that holds together energy around art across the city. I think Vienna has exceptional potential to be one of the most interesting draws in the autumn art season – with CuratedBy, a plethora of projects, spaces and some of the best museums in the world. Our gallery list is getting stronger and stronger, and this is enticing new visitors from across the globe. I would love the fair and this week in September to be the moment when the city comes alive through art. I’ve seen how Frieze transformed London in October. I think we have many of the same elements to make Vienna do the same in September.

AMP: Does the Austrian art market follow the same trends as its counterparts in London and New York, or is it distinctively different?

FG: Thematically yes – there is a strong emphasis on painting, with a growing return of the abstract and ideas around redefining the cannon. London and New York are far more expensive cities than Vienna and there is an innate sense of struggle to perform in order to survive for both galleries and artists. Art, in these capitals, is a commodity that is traded on the highest level. The Austrian art market has different issues. People are more nuanced and private about their engagement with art and the contemporary scene is growing. The work on show at viennacontemporary feels fresh and less the usual suspects you would find at the blockbuster fairs around the globe. Austria is a place for experimentation and discovery.

AMP: Last year, you curated ZONE1, the fair’s section focused on emerging artists. Do you think art fairs can help introduce young and underrepresented artists to the general public?

FG: I think the emerging sections in any fair are vital. I’ve added EMERGING galleries from outside of Austria alongside the well established ZONE1. These younger spaces are at the heart of the fair itself. The experimentation and new aesthetics coming from emerging artists are the driving force for artistic development. Art fairs are incredible spaces to find younger artists. I myself discovered many artists I had never known within fair contexts. Often younger galleries are in less accessible locations. A fair is a perfect space to get a litmus test of their programmes.

AMP: Every year, viennacontemporary attracts thousands of visitors – how would you describe the demographics of the fair? Are most of the visitors art professionals?

I’m really proud. Of course we have a growing international body of collectors, curators, art press and advisors. However, what makes viennacontemporary so engaging is its accessibility to the city. On the opening days of the fair you’ll find little old ladies alongside art students, internet entrepreneurs alongside families. Art is no longer just a space for the elite. Contemporary art – especially in a context that is easy to navigate and wander through like a fair – is now mainstream. The fair’s demographic reflects that.

Mirela Baciak is a contemporary art curator, researcher and writer based in Vienna with an interest in art’s intersections with various social, political, and cultural issues. In 2023, Mirela was appointed the director of Salzburger Kunstverein, one of Austria’s oldest and most prestigious associations for contemporary art. The Color Of Energy, this year’s VCT STATEMENT exhibition curated by Mirela, will present its first chapter at viennacontemporary, followed by part two in Salzburg the following week. It will explore our relationship with different types of energy and show their connection to politics and culture. 

AMP: VCT STATEMENT is a section of viennacontemporary initiated two years ago to highlight sociopolitical issues through art. Do you think the role of a curator has evolved in the last years and giving voice to important matters is becoming more significant than focusing purely on art?

Mirela Baciak: I don’t believe this is something new or the role of the curator changed significantly, but it’s the art institutions who did evolve. It’s certainly becoming more common to see thematic and discourse-driven exhibitions outside of just biennales and major art events (such as documenta, which traditionally responds to sociopolitical issues). These themes are now being embraced within the context of art fairs as well, reflecting a shift towards more hybrid institutional models. Curators are adapting to these changes, using them to enhance the relevance and reach of their work.

AMP: Can you tell us more about the meaning behind the title of the STATEMENT exhibition you curated – The Color of Energy?

MB: My approach to the exhibition tries to both engage with and challenge the traditional associations of colors with specific emotions or ideas, particularly in the context of energy sources. I was inspired by the varied reflections one can see in spilled oil—a mixture of many colors— and how these can illustrate the complex and multifaceted relationships humans have with energy. I am interested in seeing beyond the black-and-white views of energy politics, the topic has many shades and complexities. But also, the title draws direct inspiration from the documentary The Color of Fear by Mun-Wah Lee.

AMP: The exhibition will feature several artists working in different media. What was the selection process like? Is there a clear link between the artists or were the criteria less defined?

MB: The central criterion was indeed the topic—how various energy forms impact us socially, environmentally, and politically. Each artist was chosen for their unique perspective on energy, which collectively bridges diverse media and disciplinary approaches to form a cohesive narrative.

The first artist I invited was Oleksiy Radinsky. His new film Where Russia Ends tackles the pressing issue of fossil fascism, setting a strong thematic foundation. Following this, I invited Shubigi Rao, who had recently developed a significant body of work in Armenia for her solo exhibition These Petrified Paths at the Rockbund Museum, adding a layer of geographical and cultural texture to the exhibition. Recognizing Norway’s significant role in global energy debates due to its oil wealth, I felt it was crucial to include a Norwegian perspective, leading me to invite Liv Bugge. The inclusion of this viewpoint provides a critical look at the implications of national energy wealth in global contexts. The debate on nuclear energy, which continues to be a pivotal and controversial topic, guided me to invite Katrin Hornek and Emilija Škarnulytė, both of whom conduct in-depth research into aspects of nuclear energy and testing. Their work offers a nuanced exploration of the scientific and environmental stakes involved.To balance these more intense themes with a hopeful outlook on future possibilities, I invited Ursula Mayer, who explores post-human ontologies, suggesting alternative ways of being and relating in a future reshaped by our current energy choices. Similarly, Linda Lach approaches technology from a sensitive, very human perspective, adding an element of personal and emotional engagement with technological advancements.

AMP: The exhibition will be split into two parts with the first taking place at Messe Wien and the other at Salzburger Kunstverein. How did you approach curating these two segments? Did you think of them as two separate events or continuation of one another?

MB: In approaching the curation of these two segments, I envisioned them not as separate events but as a continuation of one another, each part building upon and deepening the themes of the other. The first part of the exhibition at Messe Wien presents what I consider a brighter, more hopeful take on the possibilities of energy. This chapter sets the stage with an exploration of innovative and sustainable energy solutions, as well as a look at how energy impacts our daily lives and futures in positive ways. The second chapter at Salzburger Kunstverein shifts the focus to the darker consequences of energy consumption, particularly highlighting the environmental devastation linked to the climate crisis. This part of the exhibition is designed to confront and challenge the audience, fostering a deeper understanding of the severe impacts and urgencies facing our world.