Folklore

The controversial role of folklore in visual arts from the beginning of the 20th century to the present day is the subject of the new exhibition of works from the collections organized in partnership with the Generali Foundation. It asks provocative questions about identity, locality, and tradition.

As the eighth instalment in the series of exhibitions of works from the collections in partnership with the Generali Foundation, the exhibition Folklore. A Controversy with Works from the Collections looks at questions and conflicts between tradition and renewal in art. In a world of globalization and migration, identity and traditions take on new significance—particularly in a place like Salzburg, where discussion of progress and modernization frequently has to contend with traditional points of view. Following these premises, the exhibition will feature about 50 works by 28 artists that address the subject of “folklore” in its various and changing facets. Works from the museum’s own holdings as well as the Generali Foundation Collection and the Austrian Federal Photography Collection, which are on permanent loan to the museum, illuminate the topic in its complexity and from different perspectives. The exhibition looks at “folklore” as an umbrella term for cultural phenomena characterized by tradition and historical memory, and particularly their diversity and changeability due to migration. It will feature works from the early 20th century until the present day, ranging from illustrations from Grimm’s’ Fairy Tales by David Hockney and ideologically charged photographs from the 1930s to post war reflections on local identity and confrontations with the colonialist view of foreign cultures.

A recently acquired work group by Kathi Hofer as well as a generous donation of drawings by the Bulgarian artist Nedko Solakov will be featured in the exhibition. These new additions will be combined with hitherto unseen works, rediscoveries, and highlights from the collections of works of internationally celebrated artists like Lois Weinberger, VALIE EXPORT or Erwin Wurm to create a stimulating presentation.

With works by Anna Artaker / Lilla Khoor, Kader Attia, Peter Paul Atzwanger, Lothar Baumgarten, Norbert Brunner / Michael Schuster, Jean Dubuffet, VALIE EXPORT, Harun Farocki, Heinz Frank, Dan Graham, Rodney Graham, Hans Walter Hannau, David Hockney, Kathi Hofer, Rainer Iglar, Kurt Kaindl, Joachim Koester, Rudolf Koppitz, Stefan Kruckenhauser, Michael Mauracher, Martha Rosler, Nedko Solakov, Ingeborg Strobl, Umbo, Lois Weinberger, Erwin Wurm

Curated by Sabine Breitwieser, Director Museum der Moderne Salzburg, and Antonia Lotz, Generali Foundation Collection Curator

In partnership with Generali Foundation

Coming soon:

New Salzburg. Between Memory and Contemporaneity
November 11, 2017–February 25, 2018
Produced by the Museum der Moderne Salzburg in collaboration with the Accademia di architettura di Mendrisio, the project and exhibition New Salzburg addresses urgent questions concerning the city’s future and possible ways to develop its architecture for future generations.