Lisl Ponger has long explored the constructed nature of (cultural) identity, our—often stereotypical— ideas and images of “the other” and the associated questions of visual representation. Her works frequently engage with the academic disciplines of ethnology and anthropology, whose methods and politics become manifest in the collection and exhibition practices of ethnographic museums.
Artist talk with Christopher Mudgett: Black and white as a metaphor for humanity
For me, black and white is a metaphor for the human experience. These two colors are on opposite ends of the spectrum, so for me they represent the duality experienced in life, the struggle within us all. The constant pulling in both directions, the battle between good/evil, night/day, love/hate, sad/happy etc. that we all face indefinitely.
Chicago art project at Fondazione Prada
The project is focused on the employment of a painting style characterised by a political commitment, figurative narratives and radical graphics that have been rejected by New York’s mainstream culture. The exhibition is structured around three thematic sections, all of them devoted to two generations of artists formed in Chicago between the 1950s and 60s.
Contemporary art meets politics
The exhibition “Natural Histories – Traces of the Political” explores representations of nature in reference to social processes and historical events. Looking at various themes, these works show the mutual interrelations between nature and history beyond all idyllic idealisation.
Nature is mainly seen as a scenery of peace and silence. Nevertheless many artists utilise exactly this “perfect image” to point at various issues or conflicts.
Rachel Whiteread at Tate Britain
The London exhibition offers the opportunity to experience three decades of Whiteread’s sculpture, exploring its range over time, working on an intimate, as well as monumental scale. Also included is a range of drawings the artist produces as a way of working through her ideas.
The East London vintage guide
East London is world renowned for vintage shopping and second hand markets. This guide should give you some ideas of shops where you will make great vintage finds. I have personally been to all of these shops and therefore this is my personal recommendation list of the five best spots in East London.
Behind the scenes: Rubens in Vienna
While any usual visitor is mot able to see how much work and preparation lies behind a big exhibition, I have been experiencing the organization very closely. Altogether the exhibition process took around two years, which results an intensive working time. Not only the curator herself was placing high expectations in the show – Indeed the show is being very successful, so far.
Alice Neel: The artist in focus
At a time when it was deeply unfashionable, Neel persisted in being a figure painter and a portraitist. While fully engrossed in the New York art scene and connected with its major innovators, she remained steadfast in her choice of style and subject matter, unswayed by an art world that favored abstraction. She persisting in making work that pleased her, regardless of what anyone thought.
Discovering Venetian history at Doge’s Palace
The Doge’s Palace in Venice counts as a masteripiece of Gothic architecture. The structure, composed of layers of building elements and ornamentation from its 14th and 15th century origins to the significant Renaissance and Mannerist adjunctions, underline its high value for the history of art.
Raphael: A retrospective in Vienna
The Albertina Museum is paying tribute to Raphael with a major exhibition of 150 paintings and drawings. Starting from the Museum’s own significant holdings and rounded out by the most impressive and important drawings from famous museums such as the Uffizi, the Royal Collection of the British Royal Family, the British Museum, the Louvre, the Vatican Museums, and the Ashmolean Museum, this monographic presentation places Raphael’s thinking and conceptual process front and center.
Curator’s talk with Marlies Wirth
“It is very important to have a strong focus on the new generation of emerging artists based in the city – with 10 positions selected by different curators each year ZONE1 gives visitors and collectors an insight into the current scene and the most recent works of artists under 40.”
Talk with the artistic director of viennacontemporary
“As a fair, we offer a platform where the Austrian, the Central and Eastern European and the international art scenes meet under one roof. This is the unique thing about vienancontemporary, the fair is a place where East and West get the opportunity to get to know each other better.”
