Mention hotel art and you might think of many possibilities. But something original by Klimt or Andy Warhol seems unlikely. Unless you’re at the Art at the Park event.
- Art fair held in the Park Hyatt hotel
- Around two dozen galleries typically present
- Works mostly from late 1800s to today (with exceptions)
- Expect top-class works from renowned names
- Next dates: Feb 23-25, 2024 (for the public)
- See also:
In the Park Hyatt Vienna…
(Near the entrance to the event)
The art on display and for sale at Art at the Park largely traces Austrian art through the decades, from the 19th-century cityscapes of the Alt family (subject of a 2022 museum exhibition) to contemporary artists who may one day be thought of with the same sense of awe and respect.
And if it’s big names you’re searching for, well, only a few museum exhibitions can compete for grandeur.
On the historical front, expect Klimt and Kokoschka. Or Egon Schiele, Albin Egger-Lienz, Alfons Walde, Oskar Laske, Carl Moll…and more. Not to mention a few international giants: I spotted works by Warhol, Haring, Chagall and Giacometti during my 2022 visit, for example.
The stars of more contemporary Austrian times tend to feature strongly, too. Names like Hermann Nitsch, Gottfried Helnwein, Erwin Wurm, Herbert Brandl, Christian Ludwig Attersee, Friedensreich Hundertwasser and Arnulf Rainer.
And, just to add a smidgeon of further variety, you might find Russian iconography or artefacts from ancient Rome, Greece and Egypt.
For those unused to the rarefied air of the upmarket gallery, it comes as quite a shock to walk into an unobtrusive niche and discover paintings worth a good five or six figure sum by an artist you last saw in a solo exhibition at the prestigious Albertina.
The event also offers an opportunity to browse works by contemporary artists not yet granted such a museal privilege.
I marveled, for example, at works like the Pink Dance treatments by Isabel Simonel (who was present).
And at Richard Kaplenig’s ability to turn an everyday object like a sugar dispenser into a stunning painting with integrated geographical references.
Within the formal process of presentation and sale, the event has little surprises for those with particular interests.
Kunsthandel Widder, for example, had a treat for this travel journalist and history buff: Maximilian Hermann Neubauer’s painting of the Christmas market on Am Hof square from over 100 years ago (the modern-day equivalent was just outside the front door of the Park Hyatt).
You could still see the Radetzky statue in Neubauer’s painting (whose move to its current position proved quite an undertaking).
I also spotted four drawings by Paul Flora, a particular favourite of mine, allowing me to study his technique and even get a couple of tips from a friendly gallerist for my own pen and ink efforts.
This is big-time art, however. Exhibition and marketplace. Where a poorly-dressed writer like myself earns little attention (so a special thank you to the gentleman from Kunsthaus Wiesinger who took time to explain Kaplenig’s work to me).
Art at the Park comes with a special bonus, of course: the location.
Inside the Park Hyatt, take a few moments to admire the rooms themselves, particularly some of the ceilings. And look into the Bank Brasserie & Bar on the ground floor for some true elegance.
Dates, tickets and tips
At the time of writing, the next event is set for February 22nd to 25th, with the first day by invite only. A standard entrance ticket for a public day at the door costs €19.
The Am Hof area has some of its own artistic and historical treats.
Wander across to the Bank Austria Kunstforum Wien, which hosts top-class art exhibitions (a Helmut Newton retrospective during the last Art at the Park, for example).
Or enjoy the architecture of the buildings, like the Bürgerliches Zeughaus at number 10 or Palais Collalto (where Mozart first performed in public in Vienna).
How to get there
The hotel sits at one corner of the square (follow the Am Hof link above for travel tips) in the central part of the old town.
Address: Park Hyatt Vienna, Am Hof 2, 1010 Vienna | Event website