and disarmingly naïve—invites an experience that is as intimate as it is unsettling
Exhibition view second floor Kunsthaus Bregenz
2025 | photo: Markus Tretter © Precious Okoyomon
Kunsthaus Bregenz courtesy of the artist and Kunsthaus Bregenz
two offices evoke the consulting rooms of psychoanalyst Carl Gustav Jung
their early 20th-century furnishings creating a space that feels both familiar and strangely impersonal
‘existential detectives’ in elaborately adorned lab coats engage visitors in conversations about dreams
Visitors are invited to contribute their silent confessions through questionnaires and watercolor responses
weaving their experiences into the fabric of the artwork
A nearby bookshelf holds an eclectic selection of texts—philosophy
and the writings of Édouard Glissant
whose work explores the creative entanglement of cultures
Okoyomon’s own drawings form the exhibition’s wallpaper
and burning eyes hover between innocence and the uncanny
luring viewers into the depths of their own subconscious
exhibition view ground floor Kunsthaus Bregenz
the stairwells of Kunsthaus Bregenz have been darkened
with a lowered ceiling constricting the ascent and creating an unsettling sense of suffocation
Handcrafted from discarded toys and adorned with real feathers
they appear as both angelic and tragic—playful
childlike beings caught in a cycle of tenderness and destruction
and care intertwine with undertones of loss and harm
often symbols of comfort and companionship
become vessels for both affection and unsettling projections of childhood innocence
a giant teddy bear lies abandoned at the edge of a plush pink carpet
its teardrop-shaped eyes and heart-marked paws exuding quiet melancholy
Its anxious gaze invites viewers into a space of daydream and self-forgetfulness
The installation is underscored by the ethereal sounds of Takiaya Reed
guiding visitors through the blurred boundaries of waking and dreaming
exhibition view first floor Kunsthaus Bregenz
a living ecosystem where pupated caterpillars undergo metamorphosis and newly hatched butterflies flutter through the air
a film flickers—a flight over the suburbs of Okoyomon’s home state
the film captures Okoyomon piloting the plane
reading their poetry aloud to the open sky
The imagery evokes a sense of boundlessness and transcendence
where the material world becomes a wellspring of spiritual reflection
Okoyomon has gained recognition for poetry often woven into their performances
confronts the forces of structural violence with a blend of vitality and mischief
and disarmingly naïve—is both intimate and unsettling
oscillating between raw vulnerability and quiet defiance
exhibition view third floor Kunsthaus Bregenz
the world requires something of me and I’m looking for a place to lie down
2025 | photo: Miro Kuzmanovic © Kunsthaus Bregenz
name: ONE EITHER LOVES ONESELF OR KNOWS ONESELF artist: Precious Okoyomon | @devilintraining_ location: Kunsthaus Bregenz | @kunsthausbregenz dates: January 31 – May 25, 2025
happening now! partnering with antonio citterio, AXOR presents three bathroom concepts that are not merely places of function, but destinations in themselves — sanctuaries of style, context, and personal expression.
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Plans are in place to replace the billboards as soon as possible
Wish You Were Gay. Installation view KUB Billboards, 2024. Photo: Markus TretterCourtesy of the artist© Anne Imhof, Kunsthaus Bregenz
Six billboards by the German artist Anne Imhof have been vandalised “in an act of violent aggression”, the artist said in an online statement (23 July). The billboards, emblazoned by Imhof with the words “Wish You Were Gay”, were damaged in the Austrian city of Bregenz, where they are currently on show. Imhof, who represented Germany at the 2017 Venice Biennale, further described the defacement as a “hate crime”.
The works were recently installed in one of Bregenz's main thoroughfares, Bregenzer Seestrasse, as part of the artist's exhibition at the Kunsthaus Bregenz (Wish You Were Gay, until 22 September).
In a statement posted on Instagram, Imhof said that “the billboards serve as a space for public art and are a tradition of the museum since 1997. Destroying them is not only an assault on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, two spirit and questioning people but an assault on the community of Bregenz”. The billboards, designed in collaboration with the Zak Group, a London-based art and design firm, will be replaced as soon as possible, she added.
Thomas Trummer, director of the Kunsthaus Bregenz, added in a statement: “This is a cowardly attack on art and our human rights. Homophobia has no place in our society.” In a email to The Art Newspaper, the museum confirmed that police have since opened an investigation into the incident.
Imhof describes the “Wish You Were Gay” project—which includes bas-reliefs, large-scale oil paintings, sculptures and stage elements—as a love song to queer coming-of-age and a “testament to the beauty and strength” of the LGBTQ+ community. However, she says it also bears witness to the “deep struggle and hostility LGBTQ+ people face everyday, everywhere”.
The Wish You Were Gay exhibition explores “absence and presence set against a backdrop of post-apocalyptic isolation”, a museum statement said.
preview5 March 2025Anne Imhof’s largest US project to date is a Shakespearean ode of doom and optimismThe German artist’s new project at the Park Avenue Armory is a collaboration with the curator Klaus Biesenbach
news22 March 2019After making waves in Venice, Anne Imhof unleashes her Sex piece at Tate ModernPerformers will reflect the "fluidity between binaries" across full suite of spaces in the Tanks
archive30 September 2013'Sexuality, Politics and Protest': The Frieze talk on activism after AIDSConsidering why artistic responses to the AIDS crisis are relevant today
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Through a series of expansive installations
the show transforms the museum into a dreamscape
From psychoanalytic consulting rooms reimagined with cute and mischievous devils
the artist confronts intimate desires and fears with an unflinching sincerity
inviting viewers to explore strength in softness
and people’s relationship to things and the living environment
Intimate personal questions are linked with political and social issues
Okoyomon was invited to exhibit at Kunsthaus Bregenz – the youngest artist in the institution’s history
Okoyomon gained the attention of a broad public with installations that incorporate materials such as soil
the artist transformed the hall of the Arsenale into a lush
and small watercourses set in a tropical atmosphere created an experiential space that linked the processes of nature with afro-futuristic visions – and at the same time addressed the migration history of plants as well as their displacement
several new works have been developed that investigate diverse themes
Located on the ground floor are two offices that recall the consulting rooms of the psychoanalyst Carl Gustav Jung
Furniture from around 1900 creates an atmosphere that is at once familiar as well as impersonal
Existential detectives in adorned lab coats engage visitors in dialogue and pose questions about dreams
Questionnaires and watercolors invite visitors to silently contribute their confessions to the artwork
A bookshelf holds books on subjects such as love
and Arabic poetry but also volumes by Édouard Glissant
whose work points to creative interactions between cultures
The pattern on the wallpaper is composed of drawings by Okoyomon
and fiery eyes appear to be both lost in dream and demonic
inviting us to delve into the depths of our own psyche
The Kunsthaus Bregenz stairwells have been darkened for Okoyomon’s exhibition
lowered ceiling constricts the stairway upward
creating a new spatial feeling of suffocation
stuffed animals hang on nooses from the ceiling
Handcrafted from used toys and outfitted with real feathers
playful beings subjected to a destructive fate
that presented here deals with dreams and hybridity
Cuddly stuffed animals protect children; they are companions and friends
and serve as a projection surface for children’s fantasies
and its anxious gaze prompt us to experience moments of self-forgetfulness and daydream
The installation is supplemented by music by the sound artist Takiaya Reed
whose ethereal pieces evoke trance-like states and accompany the transition into the world of waking dreams
On the third floor of Kunsthaus Bregenz visitors find themselves in an enclosed garden
Along with pupated caterpillars in the process of metamorphosis
butterflies that have already hatched flutter through the air
Flickering outside of the warm humid habitat is a movie showing a flight over the suburbs of Okoyomon’s home state
The film was produced for the exhibition at Kunsthaus Bregenz
The images convey a feeling of boundlessness and freedom
characterized by a sense of an ego that views both things and life in the material world as a source of spiritual inspiration
But the viewer is forced to remain behind the mesh
Okoyomon has earned a reputation with their poems
which are often integrated into performances
Okoyomon attempts to resist the forces of structural violence that surround us
London) is a Nigerian- American poet and artist living and working in Brooklyn
They have had solo exhibitions at the Fundación Sandretto Re Rebaudengo Madrid in 2024
at the Aspen Art Museum and at Performance Space New York in 2021
at the Museum für Moderne Kunst in Frankfurt am Main in 2020
In 2024 Okoyomon participated in the Nigerian Pavilion at the 60 th Venice Biennale; in 2023 at the 11th Sequences Biennial
Chiang Rai; in 2022 at the 59th Venice Biennale and the Okayama Art Summit; in 2021 at the 58th October Salon
Belgrade Biennale; and in 2018 at the Baltic Triennial 13
They took part in group exhibitions at the Fondation Beyeler
Basel in 2024; Luma Arles in 2022; and the Palais de Tokyo in Paris in 2021
In 2019 they realized performances at the Serpentine Galleries and the Institute of Contemporary Arts
Okoyomon was the 2021 recipient of the Frieze Art Fair Artist Award as well as the Chanel Next Prize
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Music and sound are an integral part of the artistic program of Kunsthaus Bregenz
Susan Philipsz played her arrangements of Hanns Eisler’s score for the film Night and fog
and in 2021 KUB proved to be the perfect venue for the art of Anri Sala
music is a major inspiration for his architectural ideas
a winner of the Pritzker award who had originally wanted to be a double bass player
designed the Swiss Pavilion as a walkable and tangible sound box
and musical performance play a central role in Tarek Atoui’s work as well
Atoui is an artist and composer who works with a large number of musical devices
He experiments with electroacoustic sources and synthesizers
and builds precisely developed musical instruments
Atoui’s inspiration is also drawn from other cultures
His art reads like a new manifestation of the Arts and Crafts movement shifted to the realm of music and of acoustic perception
the instruments that are to be used in various compositions are spread out in the room
and visitors stroll through a landscape of sound sources laid out on the floor
They are urged to sensitize not only their sense of hearing but also their sense of space
with its spaciousness and acoustic echo effects
who emphasises mutuality and common understanding in art
rejects the traditional conventions of musical performance
he believes in the inspirational and sensitizing quality of audio experiences
He is concerned not only with triggering aesthetic perception
For the specially designed accompanying educational program with workshops and creative projects
Atoui works closely together with the mediation team of the Kunsthaus Bregenz
From 24 to 26 October a series of performances featuring Tarek Atoui and international musicians will take place in the exhibition
On the first floor the focus is on the tactile quality of the sound
These are listening and performance spaces which are at the same time huge musical instruments
a new version of his “wind gathering device”
which is activated by a powerful air current
thus producing low sounds that resonate throughout the body and in the surrounding space
Organ Within is a hybrid sculptural installation that combines research into church pipe organs with the sonic experiences of deaf people
It consists of a network of tubes which connect a computer with an air blower
and various organ modules which interact with each other in such a way that their sounds constantly adapt to each other
The work on the second floor is entitled Waters’ Witness
For this ongoing work Tarek Atoui collected the sounds of various port cities such as Athens
With Waters’ Witness Tarek Atoui composes a soundscape that connects distinct realities geographically and symbolically
is located at the interface of several spheres of influence and is a measure of a city’s growth and change
Atoui began his project The rain during a research trip to South Korea
He studied traditional Korean musical instruments
working together closely with local artisans and scholars of traditional culture
He expanded his set of instruments by adding ceramic resonating bodies
The work was first presented at the 2023 Gwangju Biennale
Tarek Atoui's work will be presented in Austria for the first time at Kunsthaus Bregenz
Beirut) lives and works in Paris as a musician and sound artist
He studied contemporary and electronic music at the Conservatoire à Rayonnement Régional in Reims and was an artist-in-residence at the New Museum in New York
The musician participated in documenta 13 with a work inspired by Erkki Kurenniemi’s Dimi synthesizers
Atoui has exhibited at institutions such as the Art Sonje Center in Seoul
the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia in Sydney in 2023
as well as at the Fridericianum in Kassel and the Sharjah Art Foundation in 2020
and at the NTU Centre for Contemporary Art Singapore in 2018
notably the Tate Modern Collection in London
and the collection of the Sharjah Art Foundation
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Six billboards from the series ‘Wish You Were Gay’ by Anne Imhof were partially torn by vandals in Austria
The billboards were displayed in the city of Bregenz and served as companion pieces to an ongoing museum at the Kunsthaus Bregenz
unknown miscreants vandalized six of those billboards
Anne Imhof took to Instagram to react to the incident
she called them “a testament to the beauty and strength that the chosen family provides to those of LGBTQIA2S+ experience
Wish You Were Gay also bears witness to the deep struggle and hostility facing LGBTQIA2S+ people everyday
everywhere.” She further wrote about the act itself: “Destroying them is not only an assault on lesbian
but is an assault on the community of Bregenz.” Calling it a hate crime
she assured that the billboards would be soon replaced (though she did not give a timeline on the same)
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Anne Imhof is best known for winning the Golden Lion at the Venice Biennale of 2017 for her work in the German pavilion
Imhof strayed from her usual performance art pieces and instead included a lot of paintings
with titles similar to “wish you were gay”
also denounced the vandalism: “This is a cowardly attack on art and on human rights
has made significant contributions to the art and culture sectors with his innovative approach and visionary projects
He is celebrated for producing the groundbreaking "Rigoletto Story" in 2002
which transformed opera into a global spectacle
thanks to collaborations with fashion icon Vivienne Westwood
marking a pivotal moment in artistic production
His work extends beyond opera; Pietroni played a key role in the Westwood retrospectives and the innovative #missionemonnalisa campaign
demonstrating his skill in fusing art with modern communication channels
Pietroni co-founded Music for Change with Grammy Award-winning artist Ruben Dario Salas
This initiative aims to harness the power of music and the arts to drive innovation within the film industry
illustrating Pietroni's dedication to cultural advancement
As the visionary behind "The Art Insider," Pietroni continues to influence the cultural dialogue
earning international recognition for his creative and pioneering efforts across various artistic mediums
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Artlyst
Anne Imhof: Homophobic Vandalism Destroys Six Austrian Billboards
Austria – Six billboards by renowned German artist Anne Imhof were vandalised in what she described as an “act of violent aggression” on July 23
The billboards prominently display the phrase “Wish You Were Gay,” which was part of Imhof’s current exhibition in Bregenz and was installed on Bregenzer Seestrasse
one of the city’s main thoroughfares
who gained international acclaim representing Germany at the 2017 Venice Biennale
condemned the act as a “hate crime” in a statement posted on Instagram
The billboards were designed in collaboration with the London-based Zak Group for her exhibition at the Kunsthaus Bregenz
titled “Wish You Were Gay,” which runs until September 22
“The billboards serve as a space for public art and have been a museum tradition since 1997,” Imhof wrote
“Destroying them is not only an assault on lesbian
and questioning people but also an assault on the community of Bregenz.” She confirmed that the damaged billboards would be replaced promptly
Anne Imhof: Homophobic Vandalism Photo via X
also issued a statement condemning the vandalism
“This is a cowardly attack on art and our human rights
Homophobia has no place in our society,” he stated
The “Wish You Were Gay” project by Imhof includes a range of artistic expressions such as bas-reliefs
Imhof describes it as a love song to queer coming-of-age and a testament to the strength and beauty of the LGBTQ+ community
The project also highlights the ongoing struggles and hostilities faced by LGBTQ+ individuals globally
the exhibition delves into themes of “absence and presence set against a backdrop of post-apocalyptic isolation.” Imhof’s work
characterized by its robust social commentary and emotional depth
aims to challenge and provoke thought about contemporary societal issues
Imhof expressed her deep pain and hurt over the vandalism
She emphasized that the “Wish You Were Gay” billboards were intended to celebrate the queer community and address the struggles faced by LGBTQIA2S+ individuals
and freedom only serves as proof of this struggle,” she wrote
“but this hate crime cannot take away our hope for a world free from homophobia and discrimination.”
which have been part of Kunsthaus Bregenz’s public art tradition since 1997
symbolize artistic expression and community solidarity
The artist and the museum remain resolute in their commitment to replacing the vandalized billboards and continuing to advocate for LGBTQ+ rights
The incident has sparked a broader conversation about homophobia and the role of public art in confronting social prejudices
Supporters of Imhof’s work have rallied behind her
emphasizing the importance of standing against hate and supporting artistic freedom
As the community of Bregenz and the broader art world respond to this act of vandalism
the incident underscores the ongoing challenges faced by the LGBTQ+ community and the critical role of art in fostering dialogue and understanding
Read More
Visit
Homophobic vandalism in Austria against the posters of the exhibition of Anne Imhof
one of Germany’s leading contemporary artists
posters in the city advertising the exhibition
entitled Wish you were gay (“I wish you were gay”)
The dastardly act targeted six posters from the exhibition by the artist who represented Germany at the 2017 Venice Biennale
was Imhof herself via her Instagram account.The exhibition displays a core group of Imhof’s works
which is also meant to testify to the hostility that members of the LGBT community face every day
And the act of vandalism suffered by the exhibition posters is further proof: “This attack on love
creativity and freedom only serves as evidence of this struggle
but this hate crime cannot take away our hope for a world free of homophobia and free of discrimination for each of us.”
destroying the billboards at the Kunsthaus Bregenz “is not only an attack on lesbian
but it is an attack on the Bregenz community.” The billboards will be replaced as soon as possible
Condemnation also comes from the director of the Kunsthaus Bregenz
Thomas Trummer: “This is a cowardly attack on art and human rights
Homophobia must have no place in our society.”
FAD Magazine
FAD Magazine covers contemporary art – News
Exhibitions and Interviews reported on from London
Last night July 23rd six billboards by the German artist Anne Imhof were vandalised along one of Bregenz’s busiest streets
each of the six Wish You Were Gay billboards along Bregenz’s busiest street were destroyed in an act of violent aggression
It is deeply painful to look at the images and I am truly hurt
Wish You Were Gay is a love song to queer coming of age
It is a testament to the beauty and strength that the chosen family provides to those of LGBTQIA2S+ experience
creativity and freedom only serves as proof of this struggle
but this hate crime cannot take away our hope for a world free from homophobia and free from discrimination for each and every one of us
The @kunsthausbregenz billboards serve as a space for public art and are a tradition of the museum since 1997
Destroying them is not only an assault on lesbian
but is an assault on the community of Bregenz
The billboards, designed in collaboration with @zakgroupoffice
The works were recently installed in one of Bregenz’s main thoroughfares, Bregenzer Seestrasse, as part of the artist’s exhibition at the Kunsthaus Bregenz, Wish You Were Gay, until 22nd September
This is a cowardly attack on art and our human rights
The Wish You Were Gay exhibition explores “absence and presence set against a backdrop of post-apocalyptic isolation”
Anne Imhof, Wish You Were Gay – 22nd September 2024, Kunsthaus Bregenz (KUB)
Mark Westall
Mark Westall is the Founder and Editor of FAD magazine -
I Sought My Soul explores the phenomenon of new autonomy within a utopian vision of unity
the works on view highlight a new medium for the artist: bronze
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The Bregenz Festival’s remarkable 300-ton floating stage for Madame Butterfly includes KV2
Adamson and JBL loudspeakers hidden in the set
Austria’s annual Bregenz Festival has presented opera and music on the Seebühne
This year’s production—Puccini’s Madame Butterfly
300-ton set—played to sold-out crowds within the surrounding 6,658-seat open-air amphitheater on the Lake Constance shoreline
Covering that audience in audio were KV2 systems made up the core of the complex main system serving the Seebühne and its auditorium
“We have been using a point-source-based system for many years now as we found it was the most efficient way to handle the various constraints of working on an outdoor production with a live orchestra and a complex set,” said Clemens Wannemacher
spec’d a system based around KV2 ESR212s for a facility audio upgrade
The venue’s loudspeaker setup sports more than 40 loudspeakers hidden in the stage alone from Kling & Freitag
Adamson and JBL—and now KV2’s VHD1.21 and VHD2.16subs as well as three horizontal ESR212s
“The stage has ‘holes’ with small platforms behind them that house the loudspeakers,” said Wannemacher
“The holes are covered with a metal grid that is partially covered with plaster and then painted
There are no dedicated monitor-loudspeakers for the singers
They are effectively standing in front of the PA
so they pretty much hear what the audience hears.”
More PA boxes are mounted on poles surrounding the venue; on either side of the set are two poles with four levels of loudspeakers each
featuring two KV2 ESR212s in the middle sandwiched between Kling & Freitag Spectra 212s top and bottom
Smaller poles surround the rest of the listening area equipped with three levels of K&F Spectra 212 and CA1001CX (along each side) and two levels of Adamson P12 (across the rear)
There are also several K&F LINUS loudspeakers placed beneath the seats in the middle of the audience zone as well as some JBL subs
Mix Staff
an international media group and leading digital publisher
Our return to the world of theatre can’t come soon enough
but there is one stage in particular that should be right up there on your bucket list
The Bregenz Festival is home to the world’s largest floating stage
built in epic proportions since 1946 on Lake Constance in Austria
this show might just change your tune…
before you build that stage over the water
we’re going to need you to fill out some health and safety forms.”
Producer: “This year it’s going to be a giant book that’s being opened up by a skeleton.”
And that’s pretty much how we imagine how things go down at Bregenz
The imagination of the festival’s set designers has no limits
They’re arguably the secret stars in this annual operatic performance
They seem to outdo themselves with every new set
taking on average 215 days to construct every two years on wooden stakes positioned around a concrete core
The concrete core anchored to the lakeshore houses the necessary infrastructure for the festival; dressing rooms
the orchestra pit and the machine rooms where the technical wizardry is conducted much like the orchestra itself
Brégence’s sets require cutting-edge technology. The basic structure is supported by immense pillars anchored in the bottom of the lake and the decorations built upon the stage can reach up to thirty meters in height
Getting cast in a performance comes with a few prerequisites: you must be able to swim and you mustn’t be afraid of heights
It’s not impossible for actors to end up in the water
three singers and an extra accidentally fell in the lake
including Kathryn Lewek (The Queen of the Night)
Performers must sing in the open air despite the frequent meteorological hazards of the region
prancing about on sets that are not only toweing above the water
but are also moving beneath their feet and constantly evolving between scenes
The stage is two thirds larger than normal theatre sets in order to make sure that the open-air construction isn’t dwarfed by the natural backdrop of Constance Lake (which often seems to compete for the audience’s attention with its incredible sunsets)
only one year after the end of World War II
the first Bregenz Festival took place with an evening of Mozart on a lavishly decorated barge – a comparatively modest stage by today’s standards
The town of Bregenz was lacking a theatre at that time
so its greatest asset (Lake Constance) was chosen as a stage
the choice of venue turned out to be decisive for its success
The Bregenz Festival Community was founded in 1950
becoming a permanent body of organisers who continue to develop the festival today
Everything from West Side Story to Tosca has been staged at the floating festival
and it even featured in the 2008 James Bond film
For the first time in its 74 year run, the show was called off during the Covid-19 outbreak, but they left the stage up – a giant clown for Verdi’s Rigoletto – and moved all the show dates to 2021 (July 21- August 22)
here’s to one of them being yours in the not too distant future
take a backstage tour for the upcoming show…
Last Updated on April 23, 2021 by MessyNessy
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Text description provided by the architects. A year after the completion of Therme Vals , renowned minimalist architect, Peter Zumthor completed the design of Kunsthaus Bregenz
Austria is always in a constant state of flux always changing its exhibition spaces to accommodate international contemporary art
Zumthor’s minimalist design adapts its spaces to the art that is showcased in its exhibits creating a coexisting and redefining relationship between art and architecture
The Kunsthaus Bregenz has two main principles to their permanent collection: archives of art architecture and a collection of Contemporary art, which complements the changing exhibition spaces. The museum strives to be the intersection of art and architecture that opens itself to culture and international influence.
"The art museum stands in the light of Lake Constance. It is made of glass and steel and a cast concrete stone mass which endows the interior of the building with texture and spatial composition. From the outside, the building looks like a lamp. It absorbs the changing light of the sky, the haze of the lake, it reflects light and colour and gives an intimation of its inner life according to the angle of vision, the daylight and the weather." - Peter Zumthor
© Flickr User: mightymightymatzeThe minimalist structure stands as a light box that absorbs, reflects, and filters light across the façade and throughout the building. The facades etched, translucent glass glows as it is illuminated by the sunlight, or the interior lighting, becoming a dynamic part of the building as it reacts differently according to the light, time of day, weather, and the surrounding context.
© Flickr User: mightymightymatzeThe light that is captured by the glass façade gets filtered through a light plenum that catches and distributes the light through the gallery spaces. The plenum creates atmospheric conditions within the gallery spaces that have a conditional relationship with the exterior, and vice versa.
© Flickr User: mightymightymatzeThe interior works as a fusion between art and architecture that although extremely different in materiality and composition, the mixture of combination of diffused natural light and the neutral material palette come together cohesively as a contemporary art museum where art nor architecture overshadow the other.
© Courtesy of Wikimedia CommonsThe buildings structure is minimalist and reductive in the sense that only three walls support the museum and all of its floor plates. The three concrete walls enclose the gallery spaces and section off the circulation spaces to the perimeter of the building creating a building of seclusion and openness all in one.
© Flickr User: mightymightymatzeAlong with Therme Vals, the Kunsthaus Bregenz put Peter Zumthor at the forefront of architectural minimalism
as well as a dominant creative force in the discipline of architecture
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The Austrian capital will resonate with soulful melodies during the Vienna Blues Spring Festival
This annual event brings together renowned blues artists from around the globe
offering performances that capture the genre's depth and diversity
Concerts are scheduled across various venues
including the iconic Reigen Live Music Club.
Krems an der Donau will host the avant-garde Donaufestival
the festival features artists pushing the boundaries of traditional art forms.
Upper Austria: Linz Spring Fair (Urfahranermarkt)
Linz will come alive with the Urfahranermarkt
a traditional spring fair featuring amusement rides
This biannual event attracts visitors of all ages
offering a blend of modern attractions and traditional Austrian fairground charm.
Graz will host the Styrian Spring Festival
celebrating the region's rich cultural heritage
and culinary delights highlighting Styrian traditions.
Anton am Arlberg will swing to the sounds of the Tanzcafé Arlberg Music Festival
the festival features performances ranging from jazz and swing to big band tunes
set against the backdrop of the stunning Alps.
The Salzburg Easter Festival will present Modest Mussorgsky's "Khovanshchina" under the direction of Simon McBurney
This prestigious festival is renowned for its high-calibre opera productions and orchestral concerts
attracting classical music enthusiasts worldwide.
Bregenz will host its annual Spring Festival
a series of classical music concerts held at the famed Bregenz Festival House
The event showcases international and local artists and offers performances ranging from orchestral works to chamber music.
Klagenfurt will host the annual Wörthersee Half Marathon
The scenic route along Lake Wörthersee offers participants breathtaking views
making it a favourite among both amateur and professional runners.
Podersdorf am See is set to inaugurate its lake season with the PODOBEACH Family Festival
a vibrant event tailored for families and children
Attendees can anticipate a variety of musical performances and young visitors can engage in creative workshops
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Wagner College opened its campus in Bregenz
the experiences of both students and the College have greatly broadened
was an English major headed for a career in the Lutheran ministry
Barbara Hittl '69 had just discovered her love of the German language and declared it as her major
George Laszlo '72 was a biology major who intended to follow his father's footsteps into medicine
came from a blue-collar Philadelphia family who never traveled farther than a summer vacation at the shore
Wade Appelman '86 was a business major looking for adventure
It may not seem like an obvious choice for people with these majors, backgrounds, and ambitions, but all of them spent a semester or a year in an obscure Austrian town
The program opened its doors 50 years ago this fall
All of them returned with new experiences and perspectives that permanently influenced — and in some cases
we're living in a world that has shrunk drastically
as transportation advances and communication technologies have drawn all parts of the globe into an ever-closer web
On the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Bregenz Program
once a crown jewel of the College curriculum
And where have Wagner's study abroad programs gone in the years since Bregenz
is pronounced something like 'BRAY-genns.')
According to a 1972 report by Gaspard Pinette
the Wagner modern languages professor who founded the program and served for many years as its director
student demand for study abroad was growing in the late 1950s
Grappling with the difficulties of assigning credit for courses that Wagner students took through other colleges' overseas programs
Dean Adolph Stern proposed that Pinette look into establishing a Wagner campus abroad
It so happened that “a young Fulbright assistant” was working at Wagner at the time
The mayor offered the use of local facilities at a reasonable rate; by the program's ninth year
it occupied two buildings owned by the local government: A former palace held the classrooms
and the so-called College House provided space for a library
Pinette and local professors provided instruction in English (except for the required German coursework) in history
Students from all majors and many different colleges and universities flocked to the Bregenz Program: By 1980
it had enrolled more than 1,000 students from more than 200 American institutions
THE ABOVE-MENTIONED JACK DENYS of Brooklyn was there in the program's first year
“We were the pioneers,” he says with a laugh
That group's experience set the tone that would define the program's success: The emphasis on great European cultural achievements and sights; the friendliness
and slow pace of life in Bregenz; the majesty of the surrounding Alpine terrain; the adventures of independent travel to many different countries
made accessible through Bregenz's central European location; and group bonding that has made the “Bregenzers” a distinct fraternity of Wagner graduates
the most important part was meeting people — people whose background
and religion may have been quite different from his
he found Austrian guys his age to drink beer with and discuss anything from everyday life to world politics
He remembers that one of their families couldn't afford a phone
yet he noticed expensive art books in their home
“So you knew what the priorities were,” he recalls
He still gets goose bumps telling about a trip “behind the Iron Curtain,” to Hungary
in the depths of the Cold War — the Cuban Missile Crisis happened during his year abroad
Denys and his travel buddy met a young man about their age
The man's father had disappeared after being involved in the 1956 uprising
and his girlfriend had escaped to Switzerland
Denys remembers discussing with his friend that “we knew we could become free again
the year away from home solidified his life goals
Of the original 55 participants (eight of whom have since passed away)
about 30 members are still in touch and contribute to an annual newsletter published by Carole Hrubec Chapman '64
THE BREGENZ GROUP OF 1969–70 has also stayed remarkably close
Celebrating their 40th anniversary a few years ago at George Laszlo's home in the Poconos
35 of the original 52 participants showed up
the year in Bregenz set them on a new course in life
Laszlo started at Wagner with the class of '71
majoring in biology and intending to become a doctor
where he took courses in religion and philosophy and art history
he switched his major to philosophy and took an extra year to graduate
“I had the time to think about what I was doing
Laszlo focused his career on software systems for the biotech and pharmaceutical industries
and he worked with clients around the world
studying philosophy was the most important thing I have ever done for my career,” he says
For your personal life as well as business
Laszlo went to Bregenz with the full support of his parents; as Hungarian immigrants to the U.S.
traveling to Europe was like going to the moon
'Why should you go when I've never gone?'” It was a “pipe dream,” he says
because the Bregenz tuition was slightly less than regular Wagner tuition
they have stayed in touch and exchanged many visits
and Tottser has traveled all around the world
“I never would have done these things if it weren't for Bregenz,” he says
Pinette's 1972 report included the factoid that by 1972
eight Wagner students in the Bregenz Program had married Austrians
Garzon had transferred to Wagner College for her junior year
as a German major; she went to Bregenz as a senior
having finished her degree through her Bregenz coursework
She began teaching English and math in a nearby school
Garzon has spent more than half of her life in Austria
“I love Austria and wouldn't want to move back to the U.S.,” she says
she stays in touch with her Bregenz classmates
and was succeeded by a few different directors and coordinators — most notably
it started recruiting and enrolling non-U.S
Some of those enrolled at Wagner in Staten Island as well
students like Wade Appelman were still greatly enjoying and profiting from the Bregenz Program
He fondly recalls spending at least half of every week traveling all around Europe on cheap train tickets
as classes were held only Tuesday through Thursday
it became the perfect preparation for his future career in international marketing
the experiences I got through that semester — especially the travel — being street-smart and city-smart were the most valuable part,” he says
he acquired a breadth of experience and an ability to empathize and listen to others that are essential in sales and marketing
the Bregenz Program was becoming untenable for the College to maintain
and Wagner itself was in a financial crisis that brought it to the verge of closing its doors
and the city was selling the buildings Wagner used for the program
President Norman Smith made the decision to close the campus
But that was far from the end of study abroad at Wagner
dynamic faculty member had come to Wagner in 1989 to teach Spanish
who had been inspired by studying in Spain as a college student
added study abroad advisor to her professorial duties in 1991
she influenced and helped hundreds of students to study around the world
primarily through Wagner College's affiliation with an organization called IES (originally
later changed to Institute for the International Education of Students)
language majors who wanted to be immersed in the language and culture they were learning took advantage of study abroad
But there were also students like Jessica Friswell '06
an English major with minors in Spanish and sociology/anthropology
She struck out on a program called the Semester at Sea — literally
which took her to 10 ports on three continents for study and community service work
She followed that up with a summer in Peru
devoted to learning Spanish and volunteering for a nonprofit development organization
and development at University College London — and even during that time
completing her fieldwork in Cameroon with traditional hunter-gatherer people (as seen in the photo at the top of this page)
I could say that I had been to every continent apart from Antarctica,” she adds
Now an AmeriCorps/VISTA volunteer in Boston
“I encourage every young person I know to study abroad as a way to expand their horizons
and have an opportunity to examine the world from a non-American perspective.”
study abroad at Wagner has been going through a growth spurt
and niches for students with different interests
about 30 percent of Wagner students have a study-abroad experience by the time they graduate
The first new program grew out of Professor Mohammad Alauddin's work with the water contamination crisis in Bangladesh. Wanting Wagner students to see and understand this issue, he created a course, Environmental Pollution and Health, that included a short trip to Bangladesh. Based on this model
the College launched Expanding Your Horizons
which offers spring semester courses with short-term travel to points around the world
giving students first-hand experience of the course topic
and transformative study abroad is,” says Marilyn Kiss
and then they want to bite off summers or a semester.”
the College has increased options for affordable longer-term study abroad programs
The College has signed agreements with four foreign universities
Wagner students continue paying Wagner tuition and keep their financial aid to go to these campuses
More agreements are in the works with universities in South Korea
and Slovakia — the last being very close to Wagner students' old stomping grounds in Bregenz
signed this fall with the Kibbutzim College of Education in Tel Aviv
showcases the College's goal to create study abroad possibilities for students in various majors
Physician assistant students also may complete one of their required rotations abroad
at a psychiatric treatment facility in England
The director of Wagner's Center for Intercultural Advancement, Ellen Navarro, is expanding the array of possibilities even further by increasing the number of Wagner-approved study-abroad consortia whose programs students can use, while continuing to pay Wagner tuition and keeping their financial aid packages.
“I tell them go shop to see what you want to buy,” Navarro says. “Because there's something for everyone.”
READ MORE: Wagner alumni on the art of living abroad ...
The Horrmann Library is the home of a unique collection of over 2,000 titles on …
City & State N.Y., a magazine dedicated to New York’s local and state politics and …
At the Bregenz Festival, the stage floats and the backdrop is the heavens. A new production of Bizet's Carmen has just premiered there.
Text description provided by the architects
The new Vorarlberg museum completes the row of several culture buildings at the waterside of Lake Constance
The extraordinary concept is based on the principle of architectural continuity and it expands a listed building vertically and horizontally generating a new building form not by contrast but by contact of all parts differentiating them only by their surface structure
First Floor PlanThe area in front of the panoramic window on the fourth floor can serve as a contemplative or relaxing space. The atrium provides generosity of space and a means of orientation within the building, and is furthermore a versatile space well suited to hosting installations and events.
© Hanspeter SchiessThe re-use of an historic building and giving it a second life is a very important aspect of sustainability. All materials and themes are derived from the historic substance and were transferred into a new language. Every exterior building part is made in passive house quality.
Elevation 4The use of all materials is sustainably untreated and chosen after ecologic criteria
By using clay as an material for walls and ceilings in the entire building the installations for ventilation could be reduced to a third
LED-technology is used for the whole lighting system
one of the most popular German-language operas
can be experienced for the first time on the Bregenz Festival's lake stage from July 17
Director Philipp Stölzl wants to captivate the audience with a romantic tale of horror
Italian opera faced serious competition: Carl Maria von Weber's opera "Der Freischütz" was premiered
people not only sang in a Singspiel in German
but also in an opera with typical romantic elements: Forest
"I wanted to perform this opera here when I first came to Bregenz," says Philipp Stölzl
who returned to Lake Constance after his acclaimed "Rigoletto" (2019/2021)
is not only directing "Der Freischütz"
he is also responsible for the lighting design and stage
Stölzl has increasingly transformed the Bregenz lake stage into the eerie village at the end of the Thirty Years' War in which Carl Maria von Weber's opera is set
an old mill and a half-sunken church stand in the winter landscape
the play is not only performed and sung above
Only a swamp separates the stage and the audience
A wide pool of water has been created between the village and the auditorium
The lagoon is flooded with half a million liters of Lake Constance water for the performances
is a poetic and magical world," says Stölzl
"Der Freischütz" is essentially a dark Faust story
The young clerk Max sells his soul for earthly happiness and pays bitterly for it
"Essential conflicts are fought out in the draughty huts
there are tough battles," explains the film fan
rewritten and dusted off a lot of the old-fashioned opera
The director wants the audience to shiver - despite the summer heat
The modern sound effects should also contribute to this: wolves howl
the ice cracks and there is thunder and gunfire
A horror story à la "Sleepy Hollow" by Tim Burton
with a plot that is designed to hook the audience emotionally
the daughter of the hereditary forester Kuno
the inexperienced marksman has to submit to a custom and take a test shot
The play takes us from the Biedermeier forester's idyll of an impending wedding deep into the legendary Wolf Gorge
Following the success of Giuseppe Verdi's "Rigoletto"
Philipp Stölzl is once again working with Enrique Mazzola
The Italian conductor has been "Conductor in Residence" at the Bregenz Festival since 2022
Some hotels demand your attention more than the beautiful landscape that surrounds them. Fuchsegg Eco Lodge is one of them
is a worthy hotel for design enthusiasts who want to be inspired by not only Mother Nature but also local craftsmen in Bregenzerwald
an area known for contemporary alpine design
owner Carmen Can opened the doors and greeted guests to the alpine hideaway
an organization representing the area’s craftsmen
With the hotel meant for multigenerational vacationers
parents can enjoy the wellness centre in the middle of the property which has a steam bath
on a traditional porch in front of the alpine sauna house
offers spectacular views of the Winterstaude mountain in the distance
Kids have their own play area overlooking the other side of the mountains with a foosball table
and a choice of handcrafted bikes for exploring on their own
guests enjoy regional cuisine with ingredients sourced from local producers
Traditional dishes such as käsespätzle are presented in a contemporary way
Local food also influenced Fuchsegg in more material ways
The restaurant’s raku tile fireplace and the rich blue accents punctuating the lodge’s interiors were inspired by the blueberries Can picked in the area as as a child
Bregenz lies at one end of Lake Konstanz in Austria
There every summer they present one opera on the huge Lake Stage to an Amphitheatre that seats 6,800
and another (usually lesser performed one) inside in the auditorium
This year it was Puccini’s Madame Butterfly out in the open
until superseded by Il Trovatore in his middle period some nine years later
One is the bandit Ernani (who turns out to be the dispossessed Don Juan of Aragon)
after whom the opera was originally named)
and finally King Carlo (later to become the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V)
In the end the king blesses the marriage of Elvira with Ernani
but Silva recalls a vow Ernani once made and silently hands him a dagger
particularly in Spain where this one takes place
Lotte de Beer’s production brought out the visceral reality of a society dominated by warfare
blood spattered warriors were aided by lively choreography from a group of similarly clad dancers
and wonderful musicality from the Prague Philharmonic Choir and the Prague Symphony Orchestra
Terrific singing too from Saimir Pirgu as a passionate Ernani
bass Goran Jurić as an elderly but determined Silva
Franco Vassallo as the king singing well (but looking rather too pleased with himself)
Verdi was a master of dealing with dramatic personal relationships
but for operatic spectacle such as Puccini’s Madame Butterfly it is hard to beat the Lake Stage
where even the water itself can play a role
contrasting strongly with the brash novelty of American power personified by the tiny figures of Naval Lieutenant Pinkerton and US Consul Sharpless
The Consul fears that Japanese traditions are being trifled with by the idiotic Pinkerton
who marries 15-year old Cio-Cio-San (Butterfly) for a few weeks of fun
Setting the scene are 36 elegant Japanese ladies making their way slowly down from the highest point of the vast stage
She is now pregnant and left alone to bring up her baby
The marriage broker soon sees an opportunity to make more money
carried on a raft by six sturdy fellows wading waist deep through the water — an impressive sight
he sails a paper boat off from the edge of the stage
Yet Cio-Cio-San defies everyone with her belief that Pinkerton will return
and we see a distant steamer projected onto the stage
As warmer colours appear the little boy’s boat reappears in enlarged form — can the boy recover his lost father
White-clad figures crowd together on stage and move apart revealing Pinkerton himself
he warmly picks up the boy and the family are reunited
The white-clad figures crowd together again and as they separate we see Cio-Cio-San lying asleep
This dream sequence is an unusual innovation
This terrific production ends with huge flames spewing forth from behind the top of the stage
and projections of flames engulfing the entire stage as Cio-Cio-San commits her final act of seppuku (ritual suicide)
hidden in the main auditorium behind the audience
played their hearts out under the baton of Enrique Mazzola
one can scarcely tell it from performance in an opera house
allowing risky technicalities to be smoothed out
means that the most famous opera singers will give this a miss
Otar Jorjikia as Pinkerton and Brett Polegato as Sharpless on the opening night performed superbly together
The saccharine sentimentality of some productions was entirely absent
This was opera spectacle of the finest order
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