--- type: exposition title: Public Matters language: en url: "https://www.belvedere.at/en/public-matters" --- # Public Matters ## Contemporary Art in the Belvedere Garden ![Stahlskulpturen von Toni Schmale](https://www.belvedere.at/sites/default/files/styles/header_cropped_1920x480_fp/public/2023-05/PM%20Toni%20Schmale%20P1.jpg.webp?itok=T1d3uWs3) **Duration:** 13 May 2023 - 1 October 2023 Art – a public matter? Ever since their opening to the general public in the 1780s, the Belvedere Gardens have been used extensively as places for recreation and communality. The occasion of the 300th anniversary of the completion of the Upper Belvedere is a good opportunity to emphasize that they are clearly also places of art. From May through September, an extensive contemporary sculpture project complements the Baroque sculpture program at the Belvedere’s three locations. Site-specific as well as existing works by international and local artists will connect all of the museum’s gardens along a path – from the main courtyard of the Lower Belvedere and its Privy Garden to the grand Baroque gardens of the Upper Belvedere and the modernist sculpture garden of the Belvedere 21 – highlighting how the gardens organically grew into an ensemble. *Public Matters* follows an expanded concept of sculpture that includes time- and process-oriented approaches. As a critical homage, the show addresses the representation of power in the past and present as well as its transformation over time. In particular, the focus is on aspects of the public and the public sphere that emerge with and through art. The project is accompanied by a comprehensive publication featuring essays and texts on the works on display. With works by Thomas Baumann, Renate Bertlmann, Louise Bourgeois, Verena Dengler, Carola Dertnig, VALIE EXPORT, Wil Frenken und Fria Elfen, Thomas Geiger, Roland Goeschl, Dan Graham, Thomas Houseago, Alfred Hrdlicka, Iman Issa, Anna Jermolaewa und Manfred Grübl, Kapwani Kiwanga, Brigitte Kowanz, Hans Kupelwieser, Marko Lulić, Goshka Macuga, Hans Op de Beeck, Ingeborg G. Pluhar, Maruša Sagadin, Toni Schmale, Kateřina Šedá, Socratis Socratous, Kara Walker, Lawrence Weiner, Lois Weinberger, Franz West, Fritz Wotruba, Heimo Zobernig Curators: Christiane Erharter, Georg Lechner, Sergey Harutoonian, Axel Köhne, Claudia Slanar, Luisa Ziaja Assistant curators: Miroslav Halak, Andrea Kopranovic ### [Palace Garden](https://www.belvedere.at/en/node/1235) **Opening hours:** Monday to Sunday, 6:30 am - 7 pm **Address:** Palace Gardens, 1030 Vienna ([Getting there]()) ## Impressions - ![Stahlskulpturen von Toni Schmale — Toni Schmale, gefährt*innen / companions, 2023 — Forged, hot-dip galvanised and painted steel, concrete Courtesy Toni Schmale, Realization together with Bartholomäus Kinner, © Bildrecht, Vienna 2023 — Photo: Johannes Stoll / Belvedere, Vienna © Bildrecht, Vienna 2023](https://www.belvedere.at/sites/default/files/styles/equal_height_slider_1x/public/2023-05/PM%20Toni%20Schmale%20P1.jpg.webp?itok=6e0i-rRB) - ![Hans Kupelwieser, "e 14/1 sculptor" (Detail), 2014 Maruša Sagadin, B-Girls, Go!, 2018 — Hans Kupelwieser, "e 14/1 sculptor", 2014 und Maruša Sagadin, B-Girls, Go!, 2018 — Stainless steel, polished Belvedere, Vienna, Gift from the artist in 2014 © Bildrecht, Vienna 2023 Steel, wood, paint Courtesy Christine König Galerie, Vienna and the artist, Commissioned by KÖR Kunst im öffentlichen Raum (Public Art Vienna), 2018 2020 permanent loan Christine König Galerie, Vienna, and Maruša Sagadin, Vienna, © Bildrecht, Vienna 2023 — Photo: Johannes Stoll / Belvedere, Vienna](https://www.belvedere.at/sites/default/files/styles/equal_height_slider_1x/public/2023-05/Public%20Matters%20Cover%20Kuppelwieser%20Sagadin.jpg.webp?itok=e7HzfY8F) - ![Thomas Hauseago, "Daadist", 2018 / "Lechuza", 2020 — Brass, concrete base / Bronze Private collection, Vienna, © Bildrecht, Vienna 2023 — Photo: Johannes Stoll / Belvedere, Vienna](https://www.belvedere.at/sites/default/files/styles/equal_height_slider_1x/public/2023-05/PM%20Thomas%20Houseago%20C.jpg.webp?itok=xtud52YF) - ![Kara Walker, "Invasive Species (to be placed in your native garden)", 2017 — Bronze, Edition 1/3 Courtesy Kara Walker und Sikkema Jenkins & Co., New York — Photo: Johannes Stoll / Belvedere, Vienna](https://www.belvedere.at/sites/default/files/styles/equal_height_slider_1x/public/2023-05/PM%20Kara%20Walker%20C-22.jpg.webp?itok=UBEVFq7_) - ![Brigitte Kowanz, Meaning Code, 2007 — Brigitte Kowanz, "Meaning Code", 2007 — LED, acrylic glass, aluminum Studio Brigitte Kowanz, © Bildrecht, Vienna 2023 — Photo: Johannes Stoll / Belvedere, Vienna](https://www.belvedere.at/sites/default/files/styles/equal_height_slider_1x/public/2023-05/PM%20B%20Kowanz%20C5%2001.jpg.webp?itok=YY81oi3K) - ![Skulptur eines Reiters — Hans Op de Beeck, The Horseman, 2020 — Polyester, steel, polyamide, brass, coating Courtesy Hans Op de Beeck and Galerie Krinzinger, Vienna, © Bildrecht, Vienna 2023 — Photo: Johannes Stoll / Belvedere, Vienna © Bildrecht, Vienna 2023](https://www.belvedere.at/sites/default/files/styles/equal_height_slider_1x/public/2023-05/PM%20Hans%20Op%20de%20Beeck%20P1%203.jpg.webp?itok=Zsd15mAO) - ![Roter Schriftzug "Museum of Revolution" vor Belvedere 21 — Marko Lulić, "Museum of Revolution", 2009 — Steel, lacquer Belvedere, Vienna, Purchased from the artist in 2011 — Photo: Johannes Stoll / Belvedere, Vienna](https://www.belvedere.at/sites/default/files/styles/equal_height_slider_1x/public/2023-05/B21%20Public%20Matters%20Lulic-24-Bearbeitet%2002.jpg.webp?itok=o2ZOapjX) - ![Skulptur von Goshka Macuga im Teich vor dem Oberen Belvedere — Goshka Macuga, “I could have gone on flying through space forever but I have always loved a window, especially an open one.”, 2023 — Mixed-Media-Installation Courtesy Goshka Macuga, Andrew Kreps Gallery, New York, Kate MacGarry Gallery, London, Galerie Rüdiger Schöttle, Munich — Photo: Johannes Stoll / Belvedere, Vienna, © Bildrecht, Vienna 2023](https://www.belvedere.at/sites/default/files/styles/equal_height_slider_1x/public/2023-05/PM%20Goshka%20Macuga%20P1%2021%20OB%20Teichseite%20PR.jpg.webp?itok=JTDhjDqz) - ![Dan Graham, "Round and Around", 2019/21 — Beidseitig verspiegeltes Glas, Edelstahl, 230 × 749 × 650 cm Dauerleihgabe Ernst Ploil, Wien — Foto: Johannes Stoll / Belvedere, Wien](https://www.belvedere.at/sites/default/files/styles/equal_height_slider_1x/public/2023-05/UB%20Dan%20Graham%20Presse-1.jpg.webp?itok=-jZnnLkJ) - ![drei Skulpturen von FRanz West in rosa, blau und gelb, im Hintergrund das Obere Belvedere — Franz West, Lips, 2012 — Aluminum, plastic, epoxy resin, fiberglass rebar Estate Franz West, ©Archive Franz West — Photo: Johannes Stoll / Belvedere, Vienna](https://www.belvedere.at/sites/default/files/styles/equal_height_slider_1x/public/2023-05/Public%20Matters%20Franz%20West-3%20Presse.jpg.webp?itok=BFTSk_zZ) ## Location Map Explore the various locations of the works in this exhibition, from the main courtyard and Privy Garden of the Lower Belvedere to the grand Baroque gardens of the Upper Belvedere, and the modernist sculpture garden of the Belvedere 21, by using the site map as your guide. Please note the special opening hours of the Privy Garden at the Lower Belvedere and the Belvedere 21 sculpture garden. Access to the objects of the exhibition in the Privy Garden exclusively via the Lower Belvedere free of charge during museum opening hours. [Map](https://www.belvedere.at/sites/default/files/2023-05/Lageplan_Map_PublicMatters.pdf) [Objekttexte / Works "Public Matters"](https://www.belvedere.at/sites/default/files/2023-05/Objekttexte.pdf) ## Videos **Kateřina Šedá** **Goshka Macuga** **Renate Bertlmann** **Louise Bourgeois** **Toni Scmale** **Kara Walker** **Hans Op de Beeck** **Franz West** **Kapwani Kiwanga**