Global Narratives

Global Narratives

Returning for 2018, international art fair viennacontemporary brings together over 100 galleries from around the world to explore life in the 21st century.  Through innovative new media and responsive shows, the event leaves a lasting impression through works by emerging and established practitioners.

ZONE1 – a series of solo presentations by emerging Austrian artists – looks to a variety of timely subject matter, grappling with ideas such as the post-internet age. For example, Julian Palacz’s pieces consider the aesthetics of data, visualising the traces of information individuals leave behind – both digitally and physically.

Looking to the future of the industry by taking inspiration from cinema, Living image features Artists’ Films which use augmented reality to engage with the theme of music. The programme provides viewers with an interactive experience, uniting mobile phone technology with fine art. This focus on innovation is supported by initiatives such as the Artproof residency and production grant – one of viennacontemporary’s many awards – which supports young practitioners working in the ever-growing realms of photography and video.

New for this year, the Explorations section unites a diversity of approaches to reflect on socio-political themes. Examples include Philip Aguirre’s meditations on the refugee crisis, and Christof Mascher’s “not-history” paintings, which question ideas of truth and fiction. The Invisible Museum – a project organised by tranzit.sk and ERSTE Foundataion – explores Roma history and cultural representation through pieces by Oto Hudec, Robert Gabris, Daniela Krajčová, Emília Rigová and Marcela Hadová.

Further investigating notions of identity, Focus: Armenia considers the position of creative practice within the country’s history, unpacking ideas of selfhood, creative freedom and the digital revolutionThe show – entitled Dreaming Alive – is the first of its kind, and establishes a narrative across three decades of contemporary art from the region, offering a glimpse into the changing nature of Armenian life through contributions by six practitioners.

viennacontemporary runs 27-30 September. Find out more here. 

Credits:
1. Rebecca Topakian, Dame Gulizar and other stories, 2018, Courtesy of the artist