Introducing CONTEXT
The new section CONTEXT presents important positions from the late 20th century that have shaped Austria’s contemporary art scene.
In its tenth anniversary edition, viennacontemporary introduces CONTEXT. Curated by Pernilla Holmes, the new section will showcase solo presentations of nine innovative artists from the late 20th century, some of which have been overlooked in the past, others who have played a key role in shaping the contemporary art scene as it is today.
viennacontemporary Artist Director, Francesca Gavin, who has initiated the new section, describes her motivation behind the idea: “Contemporary art has grown out of an incredible heritage. This section of late 20th-century solo presentations makes connections between the innovation of today with the invention and rich history of art in Austria and the rest of central and Eastern Europe.”
“Internationally, the art community is evolving and re-examining art history through new more inclusive lenses, uncovering a wealth of amazing artists who were once overlooked on the basis of gender, ethnicity, location, education, and more. It’s an exciting time as former barriers to entry in art collapse and important artists finally get their due”, says Pernilla Holmes, curator of this year’s inaugural edition of CONTEXT.
Accordingly, CONTEXT features work by artists who thoroughly deserve their rediscovered acclaim. Six of the nine artists featured are women, several of whom were among those defining performative, avant-garde practices that challenged traditional ideas of femininity and liberated female desire from the confines of morality. Others challenged the limits of what was considered ‘high art’ as defined by their male peers.
Also included are artists who were celebrated in their time and are well-known at home, but less so on the international stage despite their forward-looking art historical innovations. Collage and abstraction are a key part of art history today – but these artists were among early proponents of these cutting-edge techniques and we are thrilled to shine a light on their practices as we reconsider whose stories are told today.
The section CONTEXT is the newest addition to the already established curated sections ZONE1 – highlighting ten emerging, young artists under 40 years with a strong connection to Austria – and VCT STATEMENT, a program linking pressing socio-political issues with artistic practices. The curated sections are presented from 12 - 15 September 2024 in Messe Wien, Halle D, alongside around 100 established and emerging exhibitors, with a strong focus on the surrounding regions and bridging the art worlds of the West and East.
Artist List of CONTEXT:
Kosara Boksan I Gallery RIMA, Orshi Drozdik I Einspach Gallery, Inge Dick I Galerie Sturm & Schober, Vlasta Delimar I galerie michaela stock, Kiki Kogelnik I Galerie bei der Albertina Zetter, Arnulf Rainer I Galerie Ruberl, Zsuzsi Ujj I acb, André Verlon I Hieke Kunsthandel, Max Weiler I W&K – Wienerroither & Kohlbacher.
Curator Pernilla Holmes: Art advisor, curator, and writer Pernilla Holmes has been Director of art advisory and cultural strategy firm Wedel Art since 2010, spearheading a range of special projects including curating exhibitions with artists such as Theaster Gates, Shara Hughes, Sam Gilliam, and Frank Bowling. Pernilla has an MA from the Courtauld Institute and has written extensively on art in catalogs and for such publications as the Financial Times, World of Interiors, and ARTnews, as well as giving lectures and talks on a variety of subjects around the world, including hosting a series on how to collect with Frieze, one on one artist interviews and moderating and sitting on panel discussions on subjects such as Artworld Disruptors, Art under the Radar and New Trends in Collecting.
