Abstract Space

Abstract Space
Formations of Classical Modernity

Date: Feb 11 to May 29
Venue: MUMOK
Opening: Thu, Mar 03, 19:00

With the exhibition Abstract Space, MUMOK is presenting its Collection of Classical Modernism from new points of view and in an expanded context. The search for abstract and constructivist images in the period 1907-1945 is of special importance here.
With Abstract Space Florian Pumhösl, who developed this exhibition in collaboration with MUMOK, makes it possible to experience the diversity of media and content in art developments during the first half of the twentieth century. The presentation is divided into nine areas using an architectural grid. These areas are devoted to specific artistic constellations and subject matters such as \'Notational Systems and Alphabets\', \'Stages\', \'Figure and Dance\', or \'Portraits\'. Magazines and publications that influenced developments in the arts during the first half of the twentieth century will be presented in special displays at the centre of this spatial structure.

Since a collection is also always a fragment, the exhibition consciously refuses any aspirations in the direction of an encyclopaedic or closed form of presentation. Starting from specific works and their contexts, concrete artistic relationships and aesthetic references will be made visible in the respective spatial segments. Typographic designs by Herbert Bayer from the collection, for example, will be supplemented by alphabets by Joost Schmidt and Karel Teige, or Kokoschka\'s portrait of Karl Kraus will be confronted with Irena Blühova\'s photographs of workers.
Abstract Space relies on detailed depictions of concrete and cross-genre formations of classical modernity outside any of the traditional isms and conventional forms of art history categorization.
This repositioning of classical modernity is aimed at producing an active dialogue between the works in the MUMOK and those in related collections in the proximate geographical surroundings such as the Austrian Theatre Museum, the Austrian Museum for Social and Economic Affairs, the Museum of Applied Arts, Prague, or the Egidio Marzona (private) collection, Berlin.
Arrangement: Florian Pumhösl, Matthias Michalka.

Events

Symposium
Concrete Media
On the Correlation of Exhibitions and Media in the Central and Eastern European and non-European Avantgardes
Date: Fri May 27. and Sat, May 28
Free admission
Organizers: Sabeth Buchmann and Christian Kravagna
in german language.

Themed Tours:
Das Kuratieren: Eine Erzählung ständig neu entwickeln
with Ivan Jurica, in German language
Date: Sat, Mar 12, Apr 9, 14:00
Konstruktivismus: die Kunst politisch denken
with Ivan Jurica, in German language
Date: Sat, Apr 23, 14:00


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