Atmospheres. Art, Climate and Space Research
The mobile pavilion as part of SHOWING STYRIA 2023
The mobile pavilion (concept) already played a central role in the first edition of SHOWING STYRIA in 2021. In 2023, it spanned the arc from the regional to the planetary in order to raise awareness of what surrounds us and what we take for grant: atmospheres.
As a mobile exhibition element designed by Alexander Kada and curated by Astrid Kury, the pavilion was dedicated to the diversity of life - the theme of SHOWING STYRIA 2023 - from an artistic perspective. The scientific questions and results of IWF's exoplanet researchers inspired artists to video and sound installations, which were realised as an immersive experience. Under the title Atmospheres. Art, Climate and Space Research, science and art take a look at extrasolar planets and alien atmospheres - as the basis for life and its diversity.
First the mobile pavilion opened in Vienna. Afterwards it it was shown in Herberstein. A miniature version of the Mobile Pavilion is now travelling around the world.
IWF @ Mobile Paviilon
International artists and researchers with a connection to Styria have jointly developed the exhibition Atmospheres. Art, Climate and Space Research. A total of 10 video contributions by 17 artists from 9 countries and 11 statements by scientists from 7 countries are shown.
For the IWF, 8 members from the two exoplanet research groups - Weather and Climate and Characterisation and Evolution - inspired the artists to answer the following questions:
- Why do we explore other worlds?
- How do we studyexoplanets?
- Are day and night places or times?
- What's the weather like on other planets?
- Is Earth special?
- How can we observe lightning on exoplanets?
- Where should we look for life? What do we hope to find?
- What would happen to the atmosphere if all life on Earth were to go extinct?
1st stop: Vienna
The mobile pavilion was opened on Vienna's Heldenplatz on 22 March 2023. At the opening ceremony in the Weltmuseum Wien IWF Director Christiane Helling joined Astrid Kury and the two artists Michaela Grill and Markus Jeschaunig to discuss, among other things, the question of how art and space exploration go together.
From 23 March to 3 April 2023, the mobile pavilion offered more than 20,000 visitors fascinating glimpses into extrasolar worlds.
2nd Stop: Herberstein
From 29 April to 5 November 2023, the mobile pavilion made a stop in front of the Animal World Herberstein. Within 204 days, a total of 81,945 visitors saw the mobile pavilion in either Vienna or Herberstein. 357 guided tours were organized, 118 for school classes.
As a kind of re-utilisation, a specially made miniature version of the pavilion is going on tour and will cross the borders of Styria, Austria and even Europe.
3rd Stop: New York
While the large version of the mobile pavilion in Vienna and Herberstein was shown in public spaces, the miniature version with a special display suitable for travelling is shown in museums and cultural institutions outside Austria.
The mobile pavilion's US tour starts in New York. The exhibition was opened on 13 November 2023 at the Austrian Cultural Forum and stayed there until 7 January 2024.
4th Stop: Boston
From New York, the pavilion travels on to Boston, where from 1 February until 12 March it is shown at the MIT - Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
After the United States, the pavilion will come back to Europe and stop in our neighbouring country Slovenia, where the exhibition will then be hosted in Ljubljana.
On its journey, the mini pavilion shows that exhibitions can have a physical presence at regional, national and international level at the same time.
Original Sounds
On Instagram, IWF Director Christiane Helling and her team comment on the exhibition Atmospheres. Art, Climate and Space Research.
23 March - 3 April 2023
Heldenplatz, Vienna
29 April - 5 November 2023
Animal World Herberstein
14 November 2023 - 7 January 2024
ACFNY - Austrian Cultural Forum New York
1 February - 12 March 2024
MIT - Massachussetts Institute of Technology