The question, »What is light?« stands at the center of Brigitte Kowanz’ oeuvre. Her answer is: »Light is what we see«—an allusion to the paradoxical fact that light makes everything visible but itself normally remains invisible. The eponymous retrospective at the ALBERTINA guides viewers through works created by this important artist since the 1980s.
Light, characterized by ephemerality, boundlessness, and immateriality, plays a leading role in this exhibition. Her light-based artworks, shown in custom-created mirrored spaces, are reflected an infinite number of times or made visible to begin with through the employment of black lights.
Also on exhibit will be the iconic works Morsealphabet and Email 02.08.1984 03.08.1984, which anticipate the present-day themes of digitization, virtualization, and the information society.

Albertina
Located in the historical heart of Vienna, the Albertina combines Imperial flair with great art. A magnificent former residence of the Habsburgs and an art museum of international renown, the Albertina stands for one of the most important collections of graphic art, attracting city and cultural tourists from all over the world.
BRIGITTE KOWANZ: LIGHT IS WHAT WE SEE
18 Jul 2025 - 9 Nov 2025
Albertinaplatz 1, Wien, Österreich
Brigitte Kowanz Matter of Time, 2019 ESTATE BRIGITTE KOWANZ © Estate Brigitte Kowanz / Bildrecht, Vienna 2025 Photo: Stefan Altenburger