Hans Schabus

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Transport documents Austrian artist Hans Schabus' new installation. It is a tale of the penetration of and research into untrodden, unseen spaces, with which the artist has always been fascinated. First, Schabus dug a hole more than 16 feet deep in his studio in order to connect to Vienna's sewage system, and thereby make his way to the Secession, where he exhibited in 2003. This was fictional; the hole was filled before reaching a sewer. But the film “Astronaut” documents this fictional journey to Secession with a real one through the building--exterior, entrance hall, parking spaces--and its subterranean world--heating and sanitation systems, stairs, narrow, barely-lit halls, getting into the constructed volume of the artist's studio, then finally through a small door into the exhibition space. Presented here are stills from the film and photographs, Schabus's sketches and a map of his intended path.