Latest Events in Vienna(September Updated)

This large-scale exhibition presents the works of two of the 20th century's most important figurative painters—Pablo Picasso and Francis Bacon—through a striking juxtaposition. Deeply influenced by Picasso, Bacon aspired to be a painter. He spent his life struggling against this great mentor, ultimately striving to surpass him. In the latter half of the 20th century, Bacon aspired to play the role Picasso had played in the first half: a chronicler of all the broken faces of humanity. Both artists placed human existence at the center of their visual world. They both had a deep fascination with the human body—torn apart, reassembled, and reshaped with radical force. In their distorted depictions, they revealed pain, desire, and vulnerability, mercilessly reflecting the modern human soul. Themes such as the cross, screams, bullfights, nudity, and "Eros's Tears" revealed the dramatic nature of life for them. Although Picasso himself was not influenced by Bacon, he closely followed Bacon's artistic career. Over 100 works from international museums and private collections are presented in a striking juxtaposition, showcasing the commonalities in the works of these two masters and Picasso's significant influence on later artists.

With over one million items, it is one of the world's most important collections of prints, founded 250 years ago: this is the Albertine Collection. What began as a private collection has grown into a world-class museum.The foundation of this collection was laid by Albert of Saxe-Tessin in 1776. This exhibition focuses for the first time on the contributions of women to this world-renowned collection, highlighting Maria Theresa's beloved daughter, Marie Christina, and showcasing how she and her husband Albert systematically built this collection. This exhibition explores Albertina's origins and the motivations of her collectors. What image does this series of works aim to create? What was the purpose of the collection? Which artists were favored? When did large collections of works by Albrecht Dürer or Egon Schiele enter the museum's collection? These questions, and others related to them, will be answered through valuable examples such as Dürer's *The Boy and the Hare*. This book focuses not only on reviewing a glorious history but also on looking to the future.

The exhibition's highlight is "Portrait of an Old Man," a painting previously believed to be the work of an anonymous artist. Bernini was an Italian Baroque artist, renowned for his designs of St. Peter's Square in Rome and his exquisite sculptures, and was one of the most outstanding artists of his time.

Jürgen Meltz is a glacier photographer who captures the silhouettes of these white giants from diverse perspectives. He creates classic landscape photographs while also revisiting historical sites where photographers took panoramic photographs a century ago. Through comparative photography, he hopes to showcase the beauty of mountains gradually disappearing due to climate change, thereby prompting reflection. Another focus of his work is documenting glacier caves. He observes glaciers up close and uses drones to explore their abstract structures and textures from the air, enriching his photographic portfolio.

Everything is in *The Magic Flute*! This exhibition showcases the latest collection from Munich-based veteran collector Dr. Günter Grish and his wife Rosemary. They have meticulously amassed a large collection of Mozart's works, with a particular focus on *The Magic Flute* and "Freemasonry in the Mozart Era." Among these is an extremely rare libretto from the 1791 premiere, featuring Immanuel Schikaned as Papageno.

KAWS. Art & Comics explores the interplay between comics, comic strips, cartoons, and fine art. This presentation places the American artist KAWS in dialog with selected contemporary stances with a focus on the artistic autonomy of his characters, who unite characteristics of street, pop, commercial, and public art.

Artist Helga Philipp (1939–2002) is hailed as a prominent representative of Austrian Concrete Art and Op Art. As early as the 1960s, she developed a precise and conceptually rigorous visual language, placing perception and movement at the heart of her artistic creation. Her work oscillates between visual experience, geometric abstraction, and dynamic formal language, skillfully experimenting with mathematical principles, sequential structures, and interactivity. This exhibition will showcase approximately 50 of the artist's most important works from over several decades, demonstrating her rich diversity across various art forms, including painting, drawing, printmaking, and object art.

Digital surveillance, artificial intelligence, and visual manipulation—Miao Ying exposes the dark side of our online world. Her solo exhibition at Belvedere 21 Gallery explores the aesthetics of digital control with meticulous attention to detail. Through installations, drawings, and videos, the artist reflects on global media culture, censorship mechanisms, and the power of generative technologies.

In the summer of 2026, Belvedere 21 will host a major exhibition on the ground and upper floors, dedicated to new acquisitions made by the Belvedere over the past decade. In keeping with the collection, artworks from various eras will be brought together in a spatial layout designed by Heimo Zobernig, like a single exhibition hall.