With an integral focus on Central and Eastern European art – and a spotlight on emerging talent – viennacontemporary’s 10th edition paves the way for an ambitious multi-faceted regional art fair.

“I’m not trying to be Frieze, Basel, Armory or any of those fairs. I think there really is room for strong regional fairs, where you go to discover new aesthetics, artists, voices–because–how exciting!”, viennacontemporary’s hot-off-the-press London-based Creative Director Francesca Gavin tells me, as we sit in the lofty, pearly-white VIP lounge on a drizzly morning, slurping Austria’s much-championed coffee. Mirroring the weekend’s exceptionally stormy front, the fair’s 10th edition situated at the capacious (close to 9,000 square meters) Messe Wien in Halle D, from 11-15 September, proved nothing short of a breath of fresh air. With a magnanimous focus on emerging talent, and just under 100 partaking galleries with an emphasis on Central and Eastern Europe (43 from Austria, 33 from Eastern Europe and 22 from around the globe), viennacontemporary boasts its biggest edition of recent years.

Honing in on Vienna’s central European location, viennacontemporary’s complex fair boasts three carefully curated sections, alongside two main gallery sections that are divided into emerging and established galleries, as well as a section consisting of six of Austria’s notable public institutions. One of the three curated sections includes VCT STATEMENT: ENERGY, comprised of an international panel discussion concerning this year’s theme around sustainable energy and an impressive accompanying cross-disciplinary group exhibition titled The Color of Energy (C13), devised by Salzburger Kunstverein’s Director and Curator, Mirela Baciak. For the overarching credo of the exhibition, which includes a diverse selection of Central and Eastern European artists one would likely miss out on otherwise, Baciak explores “how energy is harnessed, consumed and imagined […] as the global energy crisis intensifies the call for the urgent transition to sustainable energy sources.”

Curious about whether the artwork emerging from Eastern Europe differs from that of Central Europe, Baciak notes, “Historically, yes, absolutely—these regions have been shaped by distinct historical conditions, and you can see specific influences that artists explore based on their geographical backgrounds.” This observation resonated with me as I stood before Veronika Hapchenko’s expansive diptych, demeter, after Ivan Lytovchenko (2023). In this piece, the artist poignantly reflects on the unsettling shift from energy to ecological concerns, drawing on the catastrophic Chernobyl disaster of 1986. The group exhibition includes a diverse array of Eastern European artists, reminding me of Gavin’s insight that the fair encourages both international and regional collectors to engage with Eastern European art that they may not encounter elsewhere.

Nanna Kaiser, Letzter Bissen (Autobianchi A112, Porsche 911, VW Käfer TYP 1), 2024, Autogarnitur, Öl, Lack, Holz, Draht, 140cm x 110cm x 47cm

Of the three curated sections, this year’s newcomer titled CONTEXT, curated by Pernilla Holmes, introduces nine solo presentations of artists coming out of Central and Eastern Europe in the late 20th Century. As Gavin underlines in our conversation, the inclusion of this section fosters a vital relationship to Austria’s, Central and Eastern Europe’s vibrant history of art and bridges the gap between the artistic and cultural production of the past and the present—a noteworthy curatorial decision, as art is not produced in a vacuum. Arresting participants within the section include Kiki Kogelnik (D18, Galerie Sturm & Schober), Arnulf Rainer (E21, Galerie Ruberl), Orshi Drodzik (B20, Einspach Fine Art & Photography), Kosara Boksan (D19, Gallery RIMA) and Inge Dick (D18, Galerie Sturm & Schober). A sweeping concoction of art history’s rich canon as well as overlooked gems, where artists were either forgotten or excluded, make up an all-encompassing and in-depth experience. When discussing the fair’s aim for inclusivity, Gavin rightly observes that “the artworld is also provincial. Often, people don’t know artists outside their own locations, and in recent years we’ve seen the art market become conscious of that.”

This year’s fair returns with the curated section ZONE1, a distinguished hallmark put together by Bruno Mokross. With an artistic background, and 10 years’ experience in the emerging Austrian art scene, Gavin points out that the artist-curator was the obvious choice for taking over this year’s section. Mokross co-founded the Viennese nonprofit project space Pina Foundation (now named Pech) with ongoing funding by the state of Austria and the city of Vienna, as a means of sustaining crucial infrastructure and support for emerging artists. Additionally, the artist-curator founded the Independent Space Index, comprising of a comprehensive list and yearly get together of Vienna’s project and artist-led spaces. Through Vienna’s beneficent and unique funding structure, ZONE1 is supported by the Austrian state and gives emerging artists the much-needed opportunity to showcase work on a regional as well as international scale, making this section a pioneering stakeholder for emerging talent that is “Austria oriented.” Making Zone1 affordable for new contenders, Mokross confirms that “the government allows for galleries to pay lower rates for their booths at the fair.”

Presenting 10 booths with galleries displaying solo presentations by international artists with a connection to Austria (the majority have either studied, or have their practice based in Vienna), I had the pleasure of speaking to some of the most nuanced emerging talents.  Shore Gallery (A30), representing Austrian artist Nanna Kaiser, displays an ensemble of deconstructed paintings and sculptures that are exclusively made from found or purchased retro automobile parts. Referring to her works as “hunting trophies” and likening the artistic process to the visceral act of skinning an animal, dismantled patched-up leather-stretched canvases, and functional sculptures resembling mutilated sofas are charged with a debouched, corporeal and inverted aesthetic. The works on display primarily incorporate fragments of cars including remnants of a retro VW Beetle, or Porsche. In Kaiser’s “trophy” series, sculptures are embodied with her personal hairbrush, high-heels, or a handbag. On both fronts, Kaiser seeks to invert and challenge absurdist stereotypical gender roles attributed to specific objects throughout history.

Albert Dietrich, ‘Mehrere Heuballen’, Edding on Silk Paper, 70x50 cm, 2024

Gianni Manhattan (A21) showcases a series of small-scale oil paintings on copper by Vienna-based artist Alex Macedo, who graduated from the renowned University of Applied Arts, Vienna. Here, works are executed in the traditional painting technique known as glazing, often applied during the renaissance period and in old master paintings. Playing with illusion and depth, selected motifs are often juxtaposed with iconic images circulating in present society and archaic, art historical iconography. Windhager von Kaenel (A25) presenting works by Vienna-based artist Robert Sebastian Schachinger, showcases an ensemble of sculptures depicting constructed semi-ready-mades that touch upon themes around energy, time and labour in relation to both nature and capitalism. Deconstructing found objects, such as his personal lawn mower, where remnants of earth and grass remain in place, Schachinger notes that every work has its own functional motor. Works Juxtapose natural elements such as wood he retrieved and carved with ready-made mechanical or every-day domestic objects such as a washing machine or a bar of soap.

Albert Dietrich, (A28) presented by City Galerie Wien, graduated from the Städelschule in Frankfurt am Main in 2023. In ZONE1, Dietrich showcases abstract works on paper, abstract paintings and bulky, partially ready-made sculptures that intervene and activate the space in relation to the viewer. Playing with form and function, salvaged historical furniture made from wood is made obsolete by losing its function: as it is encased by customised thick white boxes, the sculptures solemnly leave the top surface of the wooden furniture visible.

Galerie Ernst Hilger (A24), showcases Noushin Redjaian, who graduated from The University of Applied Arts in Vienna and is a trained carpet restorer. Through an intricate chemical process, Redjaian grows crystals of desired altering sizes into century old Persian carpets, that are sewn onto oxidised self-made steel frames. Having studied traditional ornamentation and symbolism within Persian textiles, she translates historic, symbolic gestures into each work and recontextualises the traditional language into a contemporary context by engaging with current pressing topics.

Alex Macedo, Zone 1 viennacontemporary, installation view viennacontemporary, Vienna (2024), photo: kunstdokumentation.com, courtesy the artist and GIANNI MANHATTAN

To reinforce the fair’s emphasis on Central and Eastern European art, a new pivotal section called EMERGING highlights a diverse range of new talent, featuring galleries that are seven years or younger. Unlike the established GALLERIES section, the EMERGING section offers participating galleries reduced booth fees. “It was crucial for me that galleries could afford to showcase their artists; otherwise, it risks becoming a pyramid scheme, where smaller galleries support larger ones that don’t require the same level of assistance,” Gavin stresses. Some highlights include Vukadin Filipović presented by non canonico (C14, Belgrade), Kerstin von Gabain on display at EXILE (B14, Vienna), Kseniya Bilyk, Lucy Ivanova and Kinder Ablum at The Naked Room (C18, Kyiv) and Angelika Loderer, Irina Lotarevich, Sophie Reinhold, Sophie Thun, Kyle Thurman, Ulay, Jala Wahid, Anna Zemánková on display at SOPHIE TAPPEINER (C19, Vienna).

GALLERIES features a selection of 60 established galleries, each with a history of seven years or more. Among them is only one representative from New York, ASHES/ASHES (D02), alongside the prominent mega gallery, Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac (C04). A concoction of Central and European galleries presents a refreshing, solid scope of designated regional artists. Some of Austria’s highly-established staples include Galerie Krinzinger (C02) displaying Marina Abramović amongst 27 artists and Charim Galerie presenting renowned Eva Beresin, Eiko Gröschl, Xenia Hausner, Ulay and Stephen Willat. Other prominent international players showcasing a strong roster of established artists include Viennese galleries Croy Nielsen (B01) with Birke Gorm, Ernst Yohji Jaeger x Yasuaki Hamada, Elke Silvia Krystufek, Soshiro Matsubara, Joanna Woś and Layr (C11), presenting works by Anna Andreeva, Stano Filko, Gaylen Gerber, Benjamin Hirte, Dominique Knowles, Lisa Holzer, Matthias Noggler, Nick Oberthaler, Josef Strau, Philipp Timischl and Evelyn Plaschg.

As a longstanding participant and a gallery that regularly showcases at prestigious international fairs such as Art Basel, I asked Layr about the significance of their involvement in the fair. “In recent years, Vienna has been emerging as a key hub for contemporary art in Europe,” says Olivia Thurn-Valsassina, Partner at Layr. The gallery is committed to fostering the growth of Vienna’s art scene and highlights the strong participation of Austrian galleries in supporting the fair. From a commercial perspective, Layr notes that the art world’s summer break in August allows viennacontemporary’s September fair to set the tone for the year, attracting notable collectors from across Austria and promising new potential buyers and dealers from neighbouring countries, in particular Eastern Europe. Conclusively, one can only agree with Managing Director Markus Huber of viennacontemporary when he states, “We celebrate ten years of striving to position Vienna as a global cultural hub and a bridge between East and West in contemporary art.”

R. Sebastian Schachinger, 'Sunday Sculpture 8', 2024. Butter dish, alarm clock bell, chipboard on wooden frame, resin, green cuttings, tin can, 44 x 44 x 9cm. R. Sebastian Schachinger at Vienna Contemporary, Vienna, 2024, Photo: Choreo, Courtesy: the artist and Windhager von Kaenel

R. Sebastian Schachinger at Vienna Contemporary, Vienna, 2024, Photo: Choreo, Courtesy: the artist and Windhager von Kaenel