The Albertina does a fine job of showcasing Austrian artists with an international reach. The Rider in the Storm exhibition features Hans Weigand, for example, whose paintings and woodcuts bring together the old and new with unconventional and inspiring outcomes.
- Selection of his more recent art
- Around 31 works on display
- Runs May 19 – Aug 21, 2022
- See also:
- Current Albertina overview & info
- Current contemporary art exhibitions in Vienna
Rider in the Storm
(Hans Weigand; Rider in the Storm…, 2019; Mischtechnik auf Holz (Druckstock); Privatsammlung Wien © Hans Weigand; photo © Atelier Neumann, Wien)
A peek at some of the works from the acclaimed Austrian painter and graphic artist feels like a journey through time, culture, and geography.
For example, some look like Renaissance woodcuts or an etching Albrecht Dürer might have produced.
Others might carry echoes of Ukiyo-e waves from past centuries in Japan or the flavour of oceanscapes from today’s west coast of the USA (where Weigand lived for a period in the 1990s).
And a closer look often reveals (pop) culture touches, even if just in a title; the work pictured above has a clear reference to The Doors, for example.
Weigand’s woodcut portrait of a Renaissance gentleman might turn out to be a surfer. Playing a bass guitar. While passing cliffs topped by an iconic skyscraper. (See 2016’s London Calling.)
His horse rider might also carry a guitar rather than a spear (the artist is himself an accomplished musician). Or they might carry a spear, but have an assault rifle strapped to their saddle (as in 2021’s marvellous Blue Rider).
The Rider in the Storm exhibition presents some of Weigand’s more recent works. Discover how he merges old and contemporary motifs, styles, and techniques in one, creating contrasts that complement.
The mix seems to encourage you to look closer and reveal introspective thoughts and sociopolitical commentary: the past drawn into the present, while speculating on the future.
Dates, tickets & tips
Enjoy Weigand’s contemporary take on traditional techniques and imagery from May 19th to August 21st, 2022. Any entrance ticket to the Albertina includes access to Rider in the Storm.
The same exhibition area also leads off into The Disasters of War, which juxtaposes Mykhaylo Palinchak’s photos of the war in Ukraine with Goya’s Los Desastres de la Guerra etchings.
For the first month or so, the Albertina also has the Edvard Munch exhibition running. A little later, the same museum hosts two other solo exhibitions: Tony Cragg (wonderful sculptures) and Francesco Clemente.
And for another artist offering contemporary takes on established motifs, try the Ai Weiwei exhibition over at the Albertina Modern. Look, for example, for his golden Circle of Animals / Zodiac Heads sculptures.
How to get there
Check the main Albertina article for travel tips. The museum is right in the centre, close to the Hofburg and the state opera house.
Address: Albertinaplatz 1, 1010 Vienna