Comics and high art meet in this exhibition at the Albertina Modern with its dialogue between KAWS’ iconic figurative works and other comic-adjacent contemporary art.
- 190+ works
- Also features the likes of Haring & Lichtenstein
- Runs April 2 to Sept 27, 2026
- Book Albertina Modern tickets* online
- See also:
Art & Comix
(KAWS, TIME OFF, 2021; 135 x 188 x 99 cm, bronze, paint; private collection © KAWS; photo: courtesy KAWS Studio)
In the contemporary world, the borders in art seem to melt with genres and categories merging like a selection box of ice cream on a hot day. (Metaphors are not my strong point.)
Certainly what we consider good art continues to expand beyond masterful oil paintings from centuries past. Nor does popularity or commercial success imply artistic compromise. (If it ever did.)
The KAWS exhibition at the Albertina Modern looks at one facet of these developments by exploring the interface and interplay between high art and comics & cartoons.
The context for this exploration is the work of US artist KAWS, who’s perhaps best known for his inimitable comic-style figurative paintings and sculptures with a characteristic X on their eyes and hands.
(Red Grooms, Mimi Gross & The Ruckus Construction Company; Ruckus Manhattan: Subway, 1975/76; 274 × 564 × 1 128 cm; installation from polystyrene, straw, foam, gauze bandages, plaster, Caparol tinting paint, PVC film, canvas; private Collection © Bildrecht, Vienna 2026; photo: Lepkowski Studios, Berlin)
But this is no solo exhibition.
Instead, the displays juxtapose KAWS’ art with that of numerous other contemporary artists to create a dialogue between the two.
The exhibition essentially highlights how the comic aesthetic has become a valid artistic expression in its own right and influenced other forms of art. And how comic figures and motifs have become appropriated within wider artistic media.
Around 30 artists feature, and these include such international names as Basquiat, Haring, and Lichtenstein (whose 1978/2006 Lamp greets you on entering the exhibition) alongside the likes of Gottfried Helnwein or Brigitte Kowanz.
With such a wide mix, everyone will have their favourites. The iconic works of KAWS stand out, obviously, particularly the giant figure looming outside the museum. And I cannot deny my joy at seeing two of my interests merge in his Star Wars inspired figures.
(Eliza Douglas, Untitled, 2022; 210 × 160 cm; oil on canvas; Museum Folkwang, Essen © Eliza Douglas; courtesy Air de Paris, Romainville, Greater Paris; photo: Marc Domage)
My favourite KAWS work though must be 2021’s Separated, ironically with the famous cross eyes hidden as the “comic” figure sits in melancholy.
Other highlights for me include:
- Eliza Douglas’s vibrant folded and distorted reinterpretation of Disney characters
- The 1975/1976 subway walk-through installation by Red Grooms, Mimi Gross & The Ruckus Construction Company. A rare treat to actually be inside such a piece of art and not the only such experience in the exhibition (see, for example, Keith Haring’s Pop Shop Tokyo)
- Peter Saul’s work, which evokes a genuinely visceral reaction given the content (no spoilers) and seems to draw you into comment and discussion whether you like the paintings or not
Dates, tickets & tips
Enjoy art & comix from April 3rd to September 27th, 2026. An entrance ticket from or for the Albertina includes the exhibition.
(Booking service provided by Tiqets.com*, who I am an affiliate of)
By the way, the city has several annual comic and pop culture events that also have a strong illustrator and artist presence, most notably Vienna Comix (usually in May) and Vienna Comic Con (usually in November).
How to get there
Find travel tips on my main Albertina Modern page. But the museumsits off to one side of Karlsplatz subway station, which is on the U1, U2 and U4 lines, and close to the Oper/Karlsplatz tram station, which serves the 1, 2, D, 71 and 62 trams.
Address: Karlsplatz 5, 1010 Vienna