Artists: 

Clara Agnelli (ITA), Thomas Albdorf (AUT), Stefan Arztmann (AUT), Diana Barbosa Gil (COL), Fritz Biedermann (AUT), Ida Bö (DE), Karolin Brägger (CHE), Katrina Daschner (DEU), Tabitha Dattinger & Astrid Sodomka & Pamina Plauder (AUT), Hermanus Hendrick De Jongh (NLD), Živa Drvarič (SLO), Romana Egartner (AUT), Tobias Ehrhardt (AUT), Christian Eisenberger (AUT), Samuel Ekeh (NGA), Bob Erpelding (LUX), Max Frey (AUT), Peter Fritzenwallner (AUT), Florinda Fürst (AUT), Nikolaus Gansterer (AUT), Martin Grandits (AUT), Xaver Gschnitzer (ITA), Flora Hauser (AUT), Thomas Hitchcock (AUT), Clemens Hubinger (AUT), Thekla Kaischauri (AUT), Lukas Kaufmann (AUT), Kollektiv perlimpinpin (AUT), Sebastian Köck (AUT), Oliver Kowacz (AUT), Brigitte Kowanz (AUT), Peter Kozek (AUT), Krüger & Pardeller (AUT/ITA), Gašper Kunšič (SLO), Suzie Léger (AUT), Wolfgang Lehrner (AUT), Paul Leitner (AUT), Alfred Lenz (AUT), Ernst Logar (AUT), Constantin Luser (AUT), Alexander Martinz (AUT), Lukas Matuschek (AUT), Martina Menegon (ITA), Milan Mladenovic (SRB), Julie Monaco (AUT), monotron 4-5 plus (AUT), Leo Münch (AUT), Wolfgang Obermair (AUT/DEU), Niki Passath (AUT), Tobias Pilz (AUT), Leonard Prochazka (AUT), Ulla Rauter (AUT), Marie Reichel (AUT), Barbis Ruder (DEU), Martin Schlögl (AUT), Bjørn Segschneider (DEU), Darja Shatalova (RUS), Marianne Stålhös (SWE), Sarah Steiner (DEU), Lisa Truttmann (AUT), Alireza Toghiyani (IRN), Anna Vasof (GRC), Tomasz Vollmann (AUT), Marit Wolters (DEU), Suchart Wannaset (AUT), Anna Zilahi (HUN), Anna Zwingl (AUT)

Curators:              Brigitte Kowanz, Peter Kozek

Performances and sound interventions during the openings.

With Diana Barbosa Gil & Lukas Kaufmann, Samuel Ekeh, Peter Fritzenwallner,

Florinda Fürst, Nikolaus Gansterer, Valentin Heßler, Sebastian Köck, Peter

Kozek, Alexander Martinz & monotron 4-5plus, Leo Münch, Marianne Stålhös,

Alireza Toghiyani

Catalogue presentation:  TH 16 03 2017, 6:00 pm

A longstanding partnership: the Kunstraum Niederoesterreich and the art universities. Because critical reflection upon new artistic strategies and the theory and practice of exhibiting count amongst the quintessential tasks of the Kunstraum Niederoesterreich. In 2017 the Department of Transmedia Art at the University of Applied Arts Vienna – a pioneer in crossing artistic borders – celebrates its 20^th birthday. On this occasion the Kunstraum showcases an exhibition of impressive works by the Department of Transmedia Art: lightness and matter. matter and lightness is the title of this show, which reveals developments within different generations of artists in and around the department. In the past years works by artists such as Nikolaus Gansterer, Constantin Luser, and others from the class could be seen in the Kunstraum. Furthermore, Barbis Ruder, Peter Fritzenwallner, and kozek hörlonski have received the H13 Lower Austria Prize for Performance for their work.

The exhibition lightness and matter. matter and lightness presents new artistic innovations as well as the artistic DNA of the class. Brigitte Kowanz, the Austrian representative at the International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia 2017 and the professor behind the Department of Transmedia Art, together with teacher and artist Peter Kozek form the curatorial team for this remarkable show.

The Kunstraum Niederoesterreich celebrated its 10-year jubilee in 2015; 2017 marks the 20^th year of the Department of Transmedia Art. From the very beginning there has been an affinity between these two art institutions. For example, transmedia artists like Barbis Ruder or Peter Fritzenwallner have been awarded the H13 Lower Austria Prize for Performance most recently, and positions such as those of Katrina Daschner, Nikolaus Gansterer, kozek hörlonski, Krüger & Pardeller, Milan Mladenovic, Marit Wolter, and many others have been presented in the framework of exhibitions at the Kunstraum.

So it goes without saying that 20 years of Transmedia Art is naturally a good opportunity to present the diversity of works generated in the energy field around this class. What to expect? To put it loosely: subtle and drastic, gentle and wild, fleeting and staggering strategies by remarkable artists. Well-known names and exciting artist personalities are brought together under the banner of lightness and matter. matter and lightness. The art biennale participant Brigitte Kowanz and the artist and teacher Peter Kozek compiled the works.

DNA, Present and Future

The Department of Transmedia Art originated from a class for sculpture – a DNA that can still be identified in many of the works. It can be found in the spatial concepts by Diana Barbosa Gil and Lukas Kaufmann and manifests in the projects of Oliver Kowacz, Gašper Kunšič, or Thomas Hitchcock.

Questions oscillating between the history and future of this art field form a subtext of this exhibition. When Brigitte Kowanz became the head of the Sculpture Class at the Angewandte 20 years ago, which shortly thereafter became the Department of Transmedia Art, this new direction was a sensation. The borders between disciplines had finally been dissolved, and artists could freely choose their orientation. At the time this development was inevitable, a transformation that many other art classes would subsequently undergo. But today one can observe a renewed interest in returning to individual sectors and disciplines. Can it be that this great openness has led to a feeling of being lost?

Structurally the exhibition is built upon an imaginary triangle: teachers, students, and graduates present their works. But this structure is fluid – students become graduates, graduates become teachers. What remains is the context and influence of a department: Transmedia Art at the University of Applied Arts Vienna.