viennacontemporary opens its 11th edition
On September 11 viennacontemporary opens its 11th edition with a renewed vision: to reposition the fair as a platform for curatorial rigor, cultural relevance, and discovery. Under the artistic direction of Abaseh Mirvali, the fair aims to present an outstanding selection of 97 galleries and five institutions from 23 countries, affirming Vienna’s place as a center for forward-looking dialogue between East and West.
Messe Halle. Photo:Maria Belova
“viennacontemporary 2025 is the result of a collective effort to embrace curatorial rigor. Together with our participating galleries, supporters, and partners, we are shaping an experience that reflects both Vienna’s cultural fabric and the boldness of artistic voices we bring forward.” — Abaseh Mirvali, Artistic Director, viennacontemporary.
Abaseh Mirvali. Photo: Ana Hop
Combining the work of both established as well as emerging artists across the curated sections (STATEMENT, ZONE1, and CONTEXT), viennacontemporary underscores its reputation as a fair for discovery. This year sees a record number of emerging galleries exhibiting at the fair, with the launch of VC Vault, a new section featuring galleries selected by Antonia Lia Orsi, bringing fresh and original voices to the forefront.
In addition, this year’s edition is characterized by collaboration. viennacontemporary maintains its commitment to supporting artists and galleries through four significant art prizes established with partner organizations. These include the newly inaugurated Münze Österreich Prize, launched in collaboration with the Münze Österreich and the MAK – Museum of Applied Arts; the expanded Bildrecht SOLO Award; the Sculpture Project Prize, sponsored by JP Immobilien; and the Art for Stronger Democracies Prize, presented in cooperation with the Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs.
Complementing the artistic presentations, the fair’s architectural layout and marketing campaign have been created in collaboration with leading Austrian figures, such as architects Claudia Cavallar and Lukas Lederer, and artist Marina Faust. An outstanding selection of culinary partners will also offer a contemporary mix of local and international cuisine, transforming the fair into a multi-sensory experience that presents viennacontemporary as a destination for hospitality, taste, and social exchange.
An international Talks series brings together global voices to explore themes ranging from the beginnings and secrets of collecting to the complexities of managing estates, while Guided Tours provide curated in-depth access for visitors.
I don’t know how, but I’m taller, it must be something in the water, 2023, Zazzaro Otto, mixed media, 164 x 90 x 270 cm, courtesy of ArtNoble Gallery and the artist
Spotlight and Support: Art Prizes
viennacontemporary is proud to present four major art prizes at its 2025 edition, bolstering the fair’s support for young and mid-career artistic talent. These initiatives provide direct financial and institutional support to artists and galleries, while establishing important long-term cross-sector collaborations.
At the heart of these efforts is the Münze Österreich Prize, a new annual award launched in partnership with the Münze Österreich (Austrian Mint) and the MAK – Museum of Applied Arts, to celebrate outstanding artistic achievement, offering an exceptional institutional display opportunity for artists at a mid-career – mid-career understood not only in terms of age but also in artistic trajectory, for artists who are beyond emerging yet not fully established.
Open to all galleries participating in the fair, the award grants an overall prize fee of €35,000. It includes the production of an exhibition presented at the MAK – Museum of Applied Arts in 2026, which will be on view from 16 September to 18 October, 2026, coinciding with viennacontemporary 2026. The jury is composed of Lilli Hollein (Director of MAK – Museum of Applied Arts, Vienna), Helmut Andexlinger (Head of the Engraving Department, Austrian Mint, Vienna), Adam Budak (Director of MOCAK Museum of Contemporary Art, Krakow), Yilmaz Dziewior, (Director of Museum Ludwig, Cologne), and Filipa Oliveira (Director of the National Museum of Contemporary Art - Chiado Museum, Lisbon). The jury will visit the fair on Thursday, 11 September at noon and review artists’ presentations during the afternoon. The winner will be announced during viennacontemporary on Friday, 12 September.
“Mid-career artists are vital to the cultural landscape, yet at times fall between funding structures; this prize is intended to offer recognition, funding, and institutional visibility at a decisive point in their trajectory. The Münze Österreich Prize underscores our shared commitment to supporting artists, galleries, and institutions—strengthening Vienna’s role as a hub for forward-thinking and cross-sector cultural collaboration.” — Abaseh Mirvali, Artistic Director, viennacontemporary
The viennacontemporary | Bildrecht SOLO Award, established in collaboration with Bildrecht, honors an outstanding solo exhibition presented at the fair. The award grants a total prize fee of €6,000, to be divided equally between the winning artist, and their gallery. All solo booth presentations will be considered for the award. Yet the jury will primarily focus on young and emerging artists whose practices, within this international context, can stand alongside more established positions in ambition and quality.
At the same time, the award acknowledges the special commitment of the gallery. Experimental forms of presentation, reflecting the curatorial vision of the gallery, will also be considered and recognized by the jury. The jury is composed of Sandro Droschl (Founding Director and Curator HALLE FÜR KUNST Steiermark, Graz), Frederike Sperling (Artistic Director, Kunstraum Niederösterreich, Vienna), Florian Steininger (Artistic Director, Kunsthalle Krems, Krems an der Donau), Tina Teufel (Curator (Contemporary Art), , Museum der Moderne Salzburg, Salzburg), and Paula Watzl (Chief Editor and Head of Online Content, PARNASS Kunstmagazin, Vienna), and from Bildrecht, Günter Schönberger and Esther Hladik.
In addition to these awards, viennacontemporary will present work by the 2024 winner of the Art for Stronger Democracies Prize, an initiative supported by the Austrian Federal Ministry of European and International Affairs. The award honors artistic practices that champion democratic values, civic engagement, and societal progress.
The inaugural award went to artist Ulrike Müller (represented by MEYER*KAINER) for her mural The Conference of the Animals (A Mural), 2020, first presented at Queens Museum, New York. Reinterpreting Erich Kästner’s allegorical children’s book, Müller’s vivid abstraction becomes a powerful meditation on collective action, diversity, and democratic renewal.
LUKAS THALER seating variations (bench #1 #2 #3), 20255201-Bearbeitet (Benutzerdefiniert)
viennacontemporary and JP Immobilien are also pleased to present the winner of the second edition of the Sculpture Project, Lukas Thaler (represented by Galerie Elisabeth & Klaus Thoman). Thaler was selected for his proposal Seating Variations (Bench #1, #2, #3), a trio of engraved limestone sculptures that merge functionality with conceptual resonance and aesthetic innovation.
Seating Variations (Bench #1, #2, #3) will be unveiled and presented in the Foyer of Messe Wien Halle D, offering visitors the opportunity to experience the work firsthand. The prize highlights the significance of public art in shaping shared spaces and fostering community dialogue.
Cultural Fabric: Architecture, Culinary Partnerships & Hospitality
viennacontemporary 2025 is defined by a strong dialogue with Vienna’s cultural fabric and creative community. This year’s fair architecture is designed by Claudia Cavallar and Lukas Lederer, recipients of the Hans Hollein Art Prize for Architecture 2025, whose visionary architectural master plan will transform the fair into a cohesive and elegant environment.
Equally significant is the collaboration with one of Vienna’s most celebrated contemporary artists, Marina Faust, who has conceived the fair’s 2025 main visual. Born in Vienna in 1950, Faust has built a multifaceted career spanning photography, film, sculpture, and installation. Her path from documentary photography to decades of avant-garde experimentation – including a legendary 20-year collaboration with Martin Margiela – has established her as an artistic force of international renown. In 2024, she received the Austrian Art Award for Artistic Photography. Her work is regularly presented at Gianni Manhattan. With her unmistakable visual language, Faust now lends her artistic vision to viennacontemporary, embedding the fair even deeper into the city’s cultural landscape.
Culinary culture is an essential aspect of Viennese identity, making hospitality a natural extension of the fair experience. Guests can anticipate the refined elegance of Ruinart champagne, a curated selection of Austrian Architektur, Kulinarische Partnerschaften & Gastlichkeitwines from Bründlmayer and Domäne Baron Geymüller, and the unmistakable taste of Campari, an icon of Italian aperitivo tradition. OTOTO brings a playful, design-driven approach to coffee and matcha culture, while Elissar offers the rich flavors and warm hospitality of Mediterranean and Lebanese cuisine. Sweet indulgence arrives with Gerstner, Vienna’s historic patisserie, and Gelato Carlo, renowned for artisanal Italian ice cream crafted with natural ingredients. From the Austrian mineral water Vöslauer to the distinguished character of Scottish Macallan Whisky, the fair’s hospitality experience embraces both local excellence and international tradition.
Completing this cultural tapestry, design partners including Vitra, AREA, Bang & Olufsen, Studio KHODAI, and Lichtprojekt will shape the fair’s distinctive atmosphere with timeless furniture and rugs, refined sound, and innovative lighting concepts. Together, these collaborations will elevate viennacontemporary beyond an ordinary art fair into a multidimensional experience that unites architecture, design, gastronomy, and creative excellence.
Exhibitors and Curated Sections
Marking a return to the fair’s roots, viennacontemporary 2025 introduces a significantly expanded Emerging section, dedicated to the next generation of artists and galleries. At its heart is VC Vault, curated by Antonia Lia Orsi (City Gallery), which champions experimentation, unconventional approaches, and new models of artistic practice. Gathering the galleries Autokomanda, Borgenheim Rosenhoff, Centralbanken, CHB, City Galerie Wien, dépendance, le vite, Galería Mascota, and Shore Gallery under one umbrella, the section reaffirms the fair’s role as a site for discovery – pushing boundaries while spotlighting fresh perspectives.
STATEMENT: Realities Building
Curated by Marcella Beccaria
Launched in 2022 as a direct response to the war in Ukraine and supported by ERSTE Foundation, STATEMENT is viennacontemporary’s platform dedicated to urgent sociopolitical themes. Through a curated exhibition format and public discussions, it confronts complex global challenges through the lens of contemporary art.
For 2025, STATEMENT presents Realities Building, curated by Marcella Beccaria, Chief Curator and Head of Collections at Castello di Rivoli Museo d’Arte Contemporanea in Turin. The exhibition addresses algorithmic control, digital disinformation, and technological manipulation – urgent issues shaping contemporary life.
Featuring artists Zhanna Kadyrova, Agnieszka Kurant, Armando Lulaj, Oscar Muñoz, Cally Spooner, and Jonas Staal, the exhibition centers on film, sound, and performance to explore how art provokes critical thought, reclaims agency, and offers strategies of resistance within technologically saturated environments.
“In an era in which everything seems to be potentially visible, and paradoxically, it is also more obscure and incomprehensible, Realities Building gathers artworks that promote individual critical thinking within the entangled proliferation of technologies that either produce information or disseminate disinformation. Recognizing art as a major form of knowledge, capable of forging its own independent language and hence generating new thoughts, the exhibition examines how artists raise issues, suggest questions, and open unexpected points of view.” — Marcella Beccaria. Curator of STATEMENT and Chief Curator and Head of Collections at Castello di Rivoli Museo d’Arte Contemporanea, Turin.
The exhibition brings together artists who live (by choice or necessity) in different places, experiencing a variety of contexts and given realities. The selected works address complex issues, from the terror of war and the media’s role in it, surveillance, individual action, the power of propaganda to stage new realities, and the erasure of history. Exhibited artists also consider the relationship between capitalistic codification and the annihilation of instincts, as well as the fragile balance between the digital, biological, and mineral in collective systems.
The artworks in Realities Building provide constructive insight into the present and suggest alternative ways of thinking about how we can contribute to a better future.
Natália Sýkorová. VUNU
ZONE1
Curated by Aliaksei Barysionak
ZONE1 is viennacontemporary’s signature platform for emerging talent, presenting solo exhibitions by ten outstanding artists under 40 with strong connections to Austria.
For this year’s ZONE1, Curator Aliaksei Barysionak brings together artistic practices that engage with themes of migration and displacement, and critical feminist perspectives.
Featuring a wide range of media, ZONE1 2025 highlights positions that are integral to Vienna’s contemporary art scene but often remain underrepresented within Austria’s institutional frameworks.
“This year’s ZONE1 turns a critical lens on a world twisted by its own contradictions. Anchored in the vibrant artistic life of Vienna’s multifaceted landscape, ZONE1 connects emerging voices that speak to us in a clever, intense, and persuasive language, engaging viewers with direct and visceral artistic approaches. Rather than adhering to a single aesthetic or medium, the selection navigates a diverse terrain of formal and political inquiry – ranging from feminist figuration and social critique to conceptual strategies addressing memory, displacement, and power. Some artists speak directly from histories of rupture and dislocation; others offer incisive reflections on systems of control, technological obsolescence, and the materialities of everyday life. Oil painting and digitally altered images register violence and dispossession. Plastic bags deliver unexpected truths. Furniture forms interrogate ownership, administration, and inherited authority. Slate and stained steel carry traces of memory and failed innovation. Standing at the intersection of the political and the aesthetic, ZONE1 addresses questions about the diverse conditions experienced in this moment of planetary emergency. Sometimes with playfulness, sometimes with stark immediacy.” – Aliaksei Barysionak, Curator of ZONE1.
Artists: Melanie Ebenhoch (GALERIE BRUGGER), Hélène Fauquet (MEYER*KAINER), Tobias Izsó (Christine König Galerie); Terese Kasalicky (GALERIE3), Kateryna Lysovenko (TBA), Fabian Reetz (SOLO), Driton Selmani (Galerie Ernst Hilger), Natália Sýkorová (VUNU), Huda Takriti (CRONE), Dominika Trapp (Kisterem).
Hermann Nitsch HN/M 277 „Schüttbild mit Malhemd“, 1995 oil and blood on canvas 190 x 300 cm
CONTEXT
Curated by Samantha Ozer
Launched in 2024, CONTEXT focuses on artistic practices from the late 20th century, aiming to foster dialogue between artists rooted in the region and those working in broader international contexts, and to highlight how today’s contemporary art scene emerges from the fascinating recent past.
For this edition, curator Samantha Ozer has expanded the framework of the section to consider CONTEXT in a broader sense – organizing ten presentations with a mix of solo and duo booths, and incorporating some contemporary pieces to present a cross-generational network. Across the diversity of media – from assemblage, formalist sculpture, drawing, and painting – and styles, there is an underlying examination of the human experience. With varying approaches, the artists presented demonstrate attempts to create new forms and even portals to represent abstract feelings such as isolation, pain, resilience, and wonder, and to use art as a conduit for experimentation.
Artists: Robert Bosisio (Rodler Gschwenter Gallery), Giovanni Castell & Antonello Viola (Alessandro Casciaro), Marko Djurdjevic & Leopold Strobl (galerie gugging nina katschnig), Roland Goeschl (zs art), Kurt Hüpfner (Galerie Dantendorfer), Rashid Al Khalifa (Mario Mauroner Contemporary Art), Mariusz Kruk (MOLSKI gallery), Hermann Nitsch (Galerie Zimmermann Kratochwill), Hubert Schmalix (Smolka Contemporary), André Verlon (Kunsthandel Hieke).
