Part 1. Viennafair - Art Fair: Focus on CEE. (en) - a podcast by CastYourArt.com

Viennafair - Art Fair: Focus on CEE

As is the case everywhere, the financial crisis has separated the wheat from the chaff—in the art market as well. In the meantime, the storm is past, and the art market has recovered. Sales records have once again been reported from London, New York, and Paris.

In Vienna, the Viennafair is entering its sixth year. Optimism is the key word at the moment. “Cooperation is the key to success”, as noted in the press release for the most important art fair of Austria. In this case, necessity breeds inventiveness. Hence, some galleries and art institutions are collaborating in order to present themselves as one “EC”- exhibitor community. Such symbioses originate from financial grounds. The result, an artistic dialogue, is what counts for the visitor in the end. The end effect is one of hushed expectation, thanks to the financial crisis.

A fair survives on sales, an art fair, on the art on the sale. The Viennafair has enhanced its profile by representing 33 galleries from Eastern Europe. Once discounted as “unsexy”, Eastern European art is now considered exciting and attractive, including its representatives: young galleries and “off spaces”, whose appearance in the western world is made possible by the fair—in cooperation with its main sponsor, the Erste Group—through special arrangements.

The Viennafair has been developing in the last few years into an important “point of transfer” for Central and Eastern European art, a strategy from which not only the Eastern European art market profits. On the one hand, the appearance of the eastern vendors has become more professional in the last few years, according to Edek Bartz, the artistic director of the fair. On the other hand, the directness and the minimal degree of commercialization of the Eastern art has had a positive influence on the Central and Western European art world.

In addition to the work of young artists and artistic performances taking place on Friday evening, a special emphasis has been placed on film and video art. Collectors of video art are still classified as exotic birds of the scene, raising the question: why has so little attention been devoted to this art form and its developments? Is it due to its presentation or to the physical non-existence of moving pictures? In the end, the image does disappear as soon as the light of the projector goes out. The special exhibition, “Borrowed Time”, curated by Edek Bartz, puts film and video art back into focus. The goal is to bring more attention to this art form, not just to present it as a sideshow, but rather, under the most ideal conditions possible. Exhibition visitors would normally only notice videos in passing, but this year, for the first time, the Viennafair will present this art form in a way that allots it the time and attention it deserves. Among the works presented will be those of Dorit Magreiter, Florian Pumhösl, Ana Jarmolaewa, and Günter Brus. An additional presentation platform will show video work from the collection, “Kontakt: The Art Collection of Erste Group”. Instead of small screens and hard stools, large screens and comfortable seats will invite viewers to linger.

Bartz’s organizational ability has led him to position the Viennafair as an art event that extends far beyond the fair itself. International collectors and art enthusiasts will be spread throughout the city during the time of the fair. The air will be buzzing with art, performances, and discussions, special tours, studio visits, numerous openings, exhibitions, and late nights. The mild May evenings will only add to the fun. (oh/wh/jn)

The art fair, Viennafair, with a focus on Central and Eastern European art, will take place from May 6th to May 9th at the Vienna exhibition grounds. CastYourArt will be on location with our own stand. We look forward to seeing you there!

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