viennacontemporary Art Fair 2022 Exploring European Identity

viennacontemporary art fair is not only Vienna’s leading fair. Their geographic location as well as a focus on Central and Eastern European art and countries in the present times of war and human drama caused by Russia, requires remodelling of how we see Central Europe and art and culture in Ukraine today. That’s why this year I had a pleasure to speak to VCT Artfairs Managing Director – Markus Huber, Artistic Director – Boris Ondreička, and development consultant – Yana Barinova, Max Appel-Palma, Guest Relations.

Dobromila Blaszczyk: This year the fair was transformed. The restructuring is much deeper than the name. Could you tell us about its new structure? Does it influence the program?

Markus Huber: The restructuring of the supporting organisation of viennacontemporary began as early as 2021 with two main considerations in mind: firstly, to broaden the basis of involved owners and stakeholders. Contemporary art and culture need continuous cooperation with and the support and participation of a broad pool of many different stakeholders, ranging from the art community to the economic, political and public sector, as well as civil societies. We have achieved a high level of involvement from various stakeholders, ranging from – for now mainly local – art collectors to the economic sector, and we intend to expand this in the future with European and international partners.

The second objective was to consciously opt a not-for-profit identity to leave no doubt about the orientation of our work: since viennacontemporary is characterised by developing bridges between the so-called “East and West”, as well as emerging and established art markets, we knew it was time to do a serious cultural – and also quite political – repositioning in order to underline this objective.  

Dobromila Blaszczyk: A new development consultant – Yana Barinova, is a former cultural counsellor of Kyiv. It is a strong statement. It is an announcement of refreshing the perspective of both art fairs on the international market and your view of Central Europe. What and how makes VCT Artfairs an important format for exploring European identity?

Yana Barinova: viennacontemporary as an art fair is unique worldwide in focusing on the CEE regions as well as adjacent former CSI and geographically Eastern regions. Vienna, with its historically strategic position between the former East and West is the optimal location of course. We continuously strive to deepen this focus and have started to cooperate with these emerging art markets very systematically. I am very happy to be part of this international dedicated team.

Dobromila Blaszczyk: Art is always political. How did the war in Ukraine affect the way you work and the art world in general?

Yana Barinova: The war of the Russian Federation in Ukraine has made us jointly aware that, especially in Europe, history is not a linear process, but that we are experiencing a cyclical return of imperialist and authoritarian tendencies that we thought had been overcome, and which also necessarily politicise the status of contemporary art. For instance, in the fact that Ukrainian art and culture can no longer be interpreted exclusively in the claim of sole succession of the entire pre-Soviet and Soviet period by Russia’s imperialism. People are finally beginning to understand the independence of Ukrainian art.

Before the war there was no such boom, and in this context we can clearly see the enormous solidarity of the international art community and the strong desire to support the Ukrainian art scene. Therefore, the voice of Ukraine is now heard as never before, which gives new Ukrainian initiatives the opportunity to flourish throughout the world.

Boris Ondreička: As an art fair, we try to act spontaneously and sensitively to the current situation. We understand Vienna as a crossroad of cultures from South to North and from East to West – both historically speaking and in recent times. It is therefore an extremely important meeting place of those various regions. The current situation, however, has led to the decision of not showing any Russian galleries – but it does not mean that we are blocking Russian artists’ presentations at other galleries. To support those already going through a lot, we have invited Ukrainian galleries to participate free of charge and will extensively address the current geopolitical situation in this year’s program. 

Dobromila Blaszczyk: One of the highlights of the fair’s program is STATEMENT UKRAINE. Could you tell us more about it?

Yana Barinova: STATEMENT UKRAINE is this year’s content focus of viennacontemporary, since we want to show what art fairs can do for the common good. We display Ukrainian-based galleries, support artists in and from Ukraine, and promote the visibility of Ukrainian culture abroad. Within this year’s Ukrainian focus, we intend to address current geopolitical challenges through the panel discussion, a special exhibition, as well as through an experimental format such as an NFT drop. For the upcoming years, we would like to continue with these content focuses, and offer a new relevant STATEMENTS. We already have many exciting ideas and I am looking forward to this multilayered and cross-disciplinary approach. 

Dobromila Blaszczyk: What else do you plan to show this year during viennacontemporary? This year your art fair will take place for the first time on the extraordinary premises of the neo-renaissance palace Kursalon Vienna, in the heart of the city. How do you involve the Viennese art scene during the fair?

Boris Ondreička:  We are presenting roughly 70 exhibitors from 17 countries in the magnificent halls of Kursalon Palace. A yearly highlight of viennacontemporary is the section ZONE1, curated by the young Slovenian curator Tjaša Pogačar, in which nine artists below 40 years of age get the chance to present a solo exhibition. An extensive line-up of accompanying events including concerts, screenings, guided tours and talks in walking distance to the fair will allow for a rich and inspiring multi-media art experience in the historic centre of Vienna. For this, we cooperate with numerous renowned local cultural institutions. We will offer many visits to and special events at galleries, museums, private collections and other art institutions. Again, we have partnerships in place with the important gallery festival Curated by, as well as Parallel Vienna, a young hybrid art fair that takes place every year alongside our dates. 

Dobromila Blaszczyk: Can you fill us in a bit more in detail about the accompanying program. I always attend performances and tours in a different part of Vienna with great interest. What have you prepared this year?

Boris Ondreička: I look very much forward to the special concert of the fabulous electronic Austrian musician Christian Fennesz, who will play in the Schubert Saal of the famous Konzerthaus, and to a day of selected art film screenings in cooperation with the Austrian Film Academy at Metro Kinokulturhaus, a very acclaimed institution in town. A late summer school program called Sessions with University of Applied Arts and Academy of Fine Arts, as well as a panel on NEW MEDIA at MAK will serve food for thought. 

Dobromila Blaszczyk: Have you prepared a special program for collectors? What awaits them?

Max Appel: As every year we have prepared a rich program for collectors surrounding our fair with numerous social events, collection visits and institutional visits. Some of the highlights include a visit of the EVN Collection with Heike Maier-Rieper, a guided tour of the exhibition of the Treger Saint Silvestre Collection at Museum Gugging with Richard Treger and Antoine Saint Silvestre guiding through the exhibition personally and of course a visit of the amazing collection of our new shareholder Bernhard Hainz. Collectors will also enjoy free entry in numerous cultural institutions in Vienna and Lower Austria. For the first time, viennacontemporary will also provide advisory services for art enthusiasts eager to start a collection at our New Collectors Desk, where our experts will help finding something for every taste.

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viennacontemporary

8–11 September 2022

Kursalon Vienna

www.viennacontemporary.at