Individual nature – Kiki Smith

Before it´s too late (just one more week), I absolutely had to go see the exhibition of Kiki Smith´s large size canvases and other works at the Lower Belvedere museum.  The Belvedere is showing about sixty works of this American artist´s multi-facetted oevre in the exhibition Processions , including sculptures, large tapestries, and objects andContinue reading “Individual nature – Kiki Smith”

Japanesery

Before 1854 trade with Japan was confined to a Dutch monopoly and Japanese goods imported into Europe were for the most part confined to porcelain and lacquer ware. But when the 200-year-old Japanese foreign policy of Seclusion ended and trade between Japan and the West opened up, a sort of collection craze of Japanese artContinue reading “Japanesery”

Celebrating life – and death – at Semperdepot

It hard not to be sad when thinking about the passing of loved ones, but the Mexicans make a pretty good job of it.  The Day of the Dead, Día de Muertos, is a celebration of life and death.  On All Soul´s Day, when central Europeans somberly visit their dead at graveyards, putting candles andContinue reading “Celebrating life – and death – at Semperdepot”

Abstracting nature – variations on a photographic theme

Something a little different today.  Last Saturday, in glaring sunshine, I participated in a thematic photo walk along the Donaukanal near Kunsthaus Wien – Museum Hundertwasser.  From time to time the museum offers photo walks based on themes in their current exhibitions.  “Some Plant Volatiles” by Hamburg-based photographer Jochen Lempert provided the foundation for Saturday´sContinue reading “Abstracting nature – variations on a photographic theme”

Vienna in gold – A Jane´s walk

Who´s Jane? I´ve been asked this.  So here is a bit of background on the Jane´s Walk Vienna 2018 festival.  These walks are named for Jane Jacobs, who was an American-Canadian journalist, writer, and activist who had great influence on American urban studies, sociology, and how people thought about urban development in the 1950s andContinue reading “Vienna in gold – A Jane´s walk”