Better times at the Belvedere

The Belvedere Museum is another favourite of mine, and so right after lockdown I visited the new exhibition at the Upper Belvedere, at a time when there were very few people so that I had rather privileged views of the exhibitions and also of the beautiful architecture. This place is very crowded when tourists areContinue reading “Better times at the Belvedere”

True lies by Xenia Hausner

Can lies be true? And are Xenia Hausner´s paintings lies? What they are most certainly is skillfully staged and composed images of a reality that we can at least imagine. A reality that for some people may be reminiscent of images they have seen in the news, or maybe things they have experienced. The AlbertinaContinue reading “True lies by Xenia Hausner”

I see you in black and white

One brand-new exhibition at the Albertina Museum is a must-see for photography lovers. (Actually there is another one that I also recommend at the Albertina Modern, part of the Essl Collection, but more on that another time.) The new photography exhibition Faces. The Power of the Human Visage showcases works by photographers from the 1920sContinue reading “I see you in black and white”

Big on drawing

One brand-new, one that I almost missed, but thankfully did not: two exhibitions in black and white (and grey) are currently on view at the Albertina Museum. And wow, are they worth seeing! Shortly after Vienna´s museums re-opened after lockdown, I took the opportunity to visit Black White & Grey, an exhibition of contemporary large-scaleContinue reading “Big on drawing”

An Ode to Joy: Beethoven Moves

It is never too late to be moved by Beethoven. Ludwig van Beethoven spent a good many years living in Vienna, where he died in 1827, and he was without a doubt one of the great representative of the First Viennese School of the Classical period. Beyond being a great composer, he was also aContinue reading “An Ode to Joy: Beethoven Moves”

Of corn and sacrifice

Before lockdown 2 in Vienna, which forced all our cultural institutions to close again this November, I managed to see the fascinating exhibition about the Aztecs at Weltmuseum Wien. A very worthwhile visit.

Abstractions

I spent the entire last week at a “Fine Art Creative” photography workshop at Stift Goettweig. One of my aims for this workshop, apart from good company among like-minded people, was to expand my photographic horizons towards experimental and abstract photography. Here I show you some of the results, something rather different from my usual documentary work.

Finally exposed to paintings again

Going to an art museum may not usually seem that exciting, but when I rode my bike to the Belvedere21 yesterday, for the first time in months, since Covid-19 Lockdown measures shut down all of Vienna´s museums, I felt pretty exhilarated. The modern art venue of the venerable Belvedere Museum offered special thematic tours onContinue reading “Finally exposed to paintings again”

Stones that speak

On Friday I showed you bits of my neighbourhood, which was created during the days of working class housing- and food shortages that followed World War I and the breakup of the Habsburg Empire.  But of course this problem extended to all of Vienna, and the cooperative garden settlements that were built in the 1920sContinue reading “Stones that speak”

Venice in between

Between the floods  (the terrible Acqua Alta of 12 Nov 2019) and the lock-down due to the Covid-19 epidemic in 2020, Venice has not had much luck lately.  La Serenissima Repubblica di San Marco is suffering, and I feel for the inhabitants of this beautiful city (and of course all others affected by it).  UsuallyContinue reading “Venice in between”