Stella Rollig Books

A celebration of the work of Finnish national hero Akseli Gallen-Kallela and his depictions of Finland's people, myths and landscape. Akseli Gallen-Kallela (1865-1931) was Finland's most famous progressive artist around 1900 and a major figure in international modern art. At the turn of the century, Finland was a grand duchy striving for independence from Russian rule. Gallen-Kallela's depictions of Finland's people, myths, and nature played a key role in forming a national identity. At the same time, his modern visual language, developed in constant dialogue between Finnish sources of inspiration and influences from artistic centres such as Paris, Berlin, London and Vienna, brought him international acclaim. This English-Finnish bilingual catalogue invites readers to explore these fascinating interactions in Gallen-Kallela's artistic engagement with his country and its people, the Finnish national epic Kalevala, the idea of the Gesamtkunstwerk (total work of art) and the Nordic landscape. The international dimension of Gallen-Kallela's art is showcased by shining a spotlight on his contributions to the Vienna Secession exhibitions of 1901/02 and 1904. The catalogue accompanies an exhibition at the Belvedere, Vienna, in collaboration with the Ateneum Art Museum in Helsinki.

This anniversary publication celebrates the Belvedere in Vienna, highlighting its evolution over three centuries as a museum. Originally constructed by Prince Eugene of Savoy to boost his status, the Upper Belvedere transitioned under Maria Theresa into one of the first public museums globally. The establishment of the Modern Gallery in the Lower Belvedere in 1903 aimed to present Austrian art within an international framework, a vision that remains central to the institution today. Esteemed authors delve into timeless questions that span different eras, such as the ordering concepts in art presentation, the contemporary relevance of these displays in a global context, and the target audience for such exhibitions. This critical homage reflects on the Belvedere's rich artistic history and its significance as a cultural landmark. The exhibition runs until January 7, 2024, featuring contributions from a diverse group of scholars and artists, including Johanna Aufreiter, Björn Blauensteiner, and many others, each offering unique insights into the museum's legacy and its role in the art world.

The Austrian artist Johanna Kandl has worked with the material side of art for many years. She researches organic and inorganic painting materials and travels to their respective places of origin, e. g. to Hormuz Island, to Sudan, to Sumatra or Slovakia. Using resin and gum yielding plants (Gummi arabicum in Sudan), themes such as economic sustainability for the inhabitants in the regions concerned are addressed. The artist’s works—paintings, photos and films—interact with minerals, pigment samples and archive documents. In this way she creates a narrative that oscillates between factual documentation and personal fiction. In the catalogue Johanna Kandl makes use of both a detached scientific perspective as well as her emotional and personal attachment that derives from the fact that she is from a family of paint manufacturers. With the help of specialists, the stories behind the painting materials are traced out in this publication and pressing social questions are broached. Text: Hubert de Foresta, Miroslav Haľák, Vera M. F. Hammer, Stefanie Jahn, Johanna Kandl, Georg Kremer, Stella Rollig, Manfred Schreiner / Bernadette Frühmann / Wilfried Vetter, Andreas Spiegl

Bereits zum sechsten Mal vergeben die Boston Consulting Group und das Belvedere den mit 20.000 Euro dotierten BC21 Art Award: Werke der vier nominierten Künstlerinnen werden von 20. September bis 29. Oktober 2017 in einer Ausstellung im 21er Haus zu sehen sein. Anfang Oktober entscheidet eine international besetzte Jury, wer den Preis erhält.

In Instructions for Happiness geht es um das persönliche Streben nach Glück. Die teilnehmenden Künstlerinnen und Künstler fordern mit ihren Werken dazu auf, Handlungsanweisungen zu befolgen, auf hergestellte Situationen zu reagieren, Gegenstände zu benutzen, mit anderen zu interagieren, oder sie wollen einfach Denkprozesse anstoßen.

Spiegelnde Fenster zeigt rund sechzig zeitgenössische Werke und einzelne historische Exponate aus der Sammlung des Belvedere, die allesamt um Erfahrungen von Selbst und Welt kreisen. Die Arbeiten handeln von Utopien und Krisen, dem Grauen des Alltäglichen, Phänomenen des Spirituellen, der Politisierung des Körpers ebenso wie von Soziophysik und Psychonautik, von surrealen Welten und individuellen Mythologien. Im Sinne der Bedeutung von Kunst als Fenster zur Welt wirft die Ausstellung einen Blick auf das Spannungsfeld zwischen Individuum und Gesellschaft und reflektiert zugleich Auswirkungen auf Körper und Geist. Mit Arbeiten von Marc Adrian, Martin Arnold, Vittorio Brodmann, Georg Chaimowicz, Adriana Czernin, Josef Dabernig, Gunter Damisch, VALIE EXPORT, Judith Fegerl, Michael Franz / Nadim Vardag, Padhi Frieberger, Bernhard Frue, Walter Gamerith, Bruno Gironcoli, Samara Golden, Judith Hopf, Alfred Hrdlicka, Iman Issa, Martha Jungwirth, Jesper Just, Tillman Kaiser, Johanna Kandl, Joseph Kosuth, Susanne Kriemann, Friedl Kubelka/Peter Weibel, Luiza Margan, Till Megerle, Henri Michaux, Muntean Rosenblum, Walter Pichler, Tobias Pils, Arnulf Rainer, Ugo Rondinone, Isa Rosenberger, Gerhard Rühm, Markus Schinwald, Toni Schmale, Anne Schneider, Richard Teschner, Simon Wachsmuth, Rudolf Wacker, Anna Witt Kuratiert von Severin Dünser und Luisa Ziaja.

Gustav Klimt’s 1907 publication of his illustrated edition of Lucian’s ancient work Dialogues of the Courtesans was the first time he exhibited his erotic art to the public, and it led to his denouncement by censors disturbed by the work’s graphic content. This volume revives Klimt’s masterful book, which pairs his erotic drawings with Wiener Werkstätte design, and which arguably resulted in the Art Nouveau era’s most beautiful book. Klimt and Antiquity also compares the red- and blackfigure Attic vases dating from the 5th century with Klimt’s art. It presents Klimt’s antiquity-inspired art as a dialogue between contemporary and ancient art, between genders, and between women’s roles in times of antiquity and modernity. Essays explore Klimt’s interest in ancient art; the ancient role of the courtesan; and the phenomenon of the Greek symposium as fertile ground for Greek art.