As the VIENNA ART WEEK 2026, with its motto NAVIGATING ANGST, explores the pervasive and structural dimension of fear as the ambient noise of the present, the MAK becomes a resonance chamber for key questions: How can art provide orientation in times of social, political, and technological upheaval? And how does our understanding of art change in light of these ruptures?

The MAKtour The Design of the Secret and the Uncanny, together with the talk and the opening of 100 BEST POSTERS 25, generates a forcefield wherein uncertainty is shown to be not only a challenge, but a productive impetus for reflection and empowerment. From design in times of change through curatorial strategies for dealing with societal insecurities to the suggestive impact of posters, the events offer different perspectives onto the present.

Orientation is thereby not understood as the resolution of contradictions, but as the capacity to endure and grapple with complexity – between irritation and criticism, between analysis and imagination. Here, angst manifests not only as a symptom of our times, but also as a possible starting point for confronting its political instrumentalization.

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4.30 pm

MAKtour: The Design of the Secret and the Uncanny

with simultaneous translation into Austrian Sign Language (ÖGS)

From luxurious escapism in times of crisis to design as a courageous quest for solutions which counteracts impotence in the face of threats: The tour investigates how design reacts to uncertainty, uses it, and works with and within it. From VIENNA 1900 to the MAK Design Lab, we will discover strategies for navigating fear.

Admission and participation are free with registration.

Meeting point: MAK Columned Main Hall

Registration required: Click here to sign up.