Made in Austria. Made in Austria?

Made in Austria. Can we claim that there is Austrian art and design? What other influences make Austrian art? How many non-Austrian influences are there, in the production, in the generation of ideas, in the implementation?

In the current political context, reinforcing borders with walls has almost become acceptable. Nationalistic ideology – sometimes in disguise – spreads all over Europe. At the same time our survival is more dependent on collaboration with other countries than ever, from petrol to food to our favourite gadgets – it has all become global. So has art and cultural production. So have our lives.

Austria, being in the centre of Europe, has a long history of multi-ethnic conviviality. The borders have changed and so have those of the countries around Austria. Two states became one (Germany), one country became two (Czech Republic and Slovakia) and Yugoslavia split into even more parts. Regions want to be separated (Catalonia), people speak different languages in the same country and many of us have travelled or lived in other countries. Europe is changing. All the time.

Looking at all those movements and changes, we wonder why we can’t get over the national states. What happened to the idea of a united multiethnic Europe? Can we not value and respect each of our traditions and cultures without always pointing to the black sheep and use their trespassing or abuse of the system as an excuse for not finding better solutions?

Website:
pqaustria.org
vsdesignlab.com

Country/Region Austria

Presenting Organization vs.designlab | stories without words, Zeitgeist Gruppe

Curator Vero Schürr, Lisa Überbacher

Artists Nina Alexandra Stillmark, Simona Rybáková, Julia Neuhold, Matthias Krinzinger, Mari Kern, Iris Jäger, IRIS-A-MAZ, Bethany Hart, Katharina Ganner, Manuela Geisler, Barbara Connert-McDonaugh

Team Writers: Christine Frei, Martin Fritz; Graphics and Design: vs.designlab | stories without words, www.vsdesignlab.com; Special thanks to: Tiroler Landestheater, Innsbruck, Austria; especially to technical director Richard Gassel, production coordinator Alexander Egger and the workshops for their support. Manuela Geisler, Nina Alexandra Stillmark and Bethany Hart for the assembly, Kurt Ties and Peter Reider from HTE GmbH for the transport and assembly, Waltraud Strommer for all her efforts and support, Filippo Bassi for his support, Markus Gatt for the plinths, Diana Petrowicz, Miriam Aistleitner and Simona Rybáková for press, copy-writing and translation support, Leona Zajíčková for the quick prints.

Partners Special thanks to Tiroler Landestheater, Innsbruck, Austria.