The ALBERTINA Museum is devoting a retrospective to Franz West (1947–2012) in honor of what would have been his 80th birthday. This nonconformist artist, known for an unruly personality characterized by willfulness and humor, participated in multiple editions of documenta and the Venice Biennale, whose Golden Lion he received in 2011.
It was under the influence of Viennese Actionism that West originated his legendary Adaptives in the 1970s: by being worn, held, or attached, the prosthesis-like forms adapt to the shapes of the body and give the audience the opportunity to interact. Objects thus become opportunities, with art becoming a situation. West’s oeuvre breaks boundaries, connects art with life, and has inspired multiple generations of artists. This presentation pays homage to one who removed art from its pedestal to place it in the thick of life.
Albertina modern
ALBERTINA MODERN is one of the largest museums for modern and contemporary art. ALBERTINA’s second location opened on May 27, 2020. It has a collection of over 60,000 works by 5,000 artists. On more than 2,000 square meters, ALBERTINA MODERN presents comprehensive exhibitions of modern and contemporary art, based on its own holdings and, above all, major works of the Essl Collection, which has been housed in ALBERTINA since 2017.
Franz West
6 Nov 2026 - 29 Mar 2027
Albertina Modern
Karlsplatz 5, 1010 Wien, Österreich
ALBERTINA, Wien – Familiensammlung Haselsteiner © Archiv Franz West © Estate Franz Wien Foto: ALBERTINA, Wien
