The swirling set of issues that lie at the interface between man, city and nature form the basis for a new Wien Museum exhibition. Street artists explore aspects of Urban Natures in an open-air exhibition.
- Takes place on the construction fence around the Wien Museum on Karlsplatz
- Features work by El Jerrino, Video Oner & Sckre, Friend, and Linda Steiner
- Runs Jun 10 – Jul 25, 2021 and Aug 5 – Sept 12, 2021
- No ticket required and accessible anytime
- See also:
Two-part summer exhibition
Nature and Austria’s capital with its two million inhabitants may not appear routine companions. And yet Vienna is a remarkably green city in more ways than one.
Wooded hills fill the outer districts, for example. The city prides itself on its parks and nature reserves. And long-term climate management programmes include the greenification of urban spaces and building facades.
But the verdant surfaces hide more complex issues. For example, Vienna continues to spread at the inevitable expense of previously open land. How much of “nature” remains in a controlled green space? Where does nature persevere and thrive between the cracks of urban management?
A new exhibition from the Wien Museum offers four street artists the opportunity to address various aspects of the interface between nature and the city with contributions created specifically for the event.
Given the topic, Urban Natures almost demands an open-air exhibition space, and Karlsplatz provides a suitable outdoor location.
The park and square sit at a crossroads of urban uses, where composer monuments meet skateboarders, Baroque churches look down on beds of tulips, and a transient mix of humanity passes through the huge subway station below.
The construction fence surrounding the Wien Museum on the square has already hosted two previous exhibitions: Almost / Viennese World Tours and FACE IT!. Now street artists will use the fence as a literal canvas for their artistic interpretations. In addition, a separate Vienna Wall allows visitors to express themselves equally in (spray) paint.
The participating artists are:
- El Jerrino: abstract and street artist whose work has appeared on the side of municipal housing projects, the Kunsthistorisches Museum, the Albertina, the Saatchi gallery and elsewhere
- Linda Steiner: wall artist, painter and illustrator
- Video Oner & Sckre: artistic duo who have, for example, turned the sides of buildings into glorious landscapes populated by animals real and imagined
- Friend: graffiti and abstract artist
Dates and tickets
The exhibition runs in two parts.
- Part I: June 10th to July 25th, 2021 (El Jerrino, Sckre & Video Oner)
- Part II: August 5th to September 12th, 2021 (Friend & Linda Steiner)
Before June 10th and between the two sets of dates you might find the contributing artists at work at the site.
No ticket is required as the exhibition is open-air and freely accessible 24/7.
For more contemporary art in Vienna, check these suggestions. Three sources in particular stand out for those looking for more street art:
- The Danube canal runs along the northern edge of the old town and the walled banks have proved a handy canvas for the street art community
- The Public Art Vienna project organises and supports art projects in public spaces throughout Vienna
- Calle Libre is a short summer festival that gives you the opportunity to watch street artists create giant artworks on the sides of buildings
How to get to Urban Natures
Simply follow the travel tips for the Karlskirche church – the construction site fencing and Vienna Wall are neighbours.
Address: Karlsplatz, 1040 Vienna