2014–2021: Independent Curatorial Projects (Selection)
Brüder Schwadron: call to mind
8/1/2014—28/1/2014
From 1899 to 1938, the Jewish company Brüder Schwadron outfitted numerous residential buildings and public institutions in Vienna with architectural ceramics. The aim of this exhibition project is to bring the disappearing traces of the company back into public awareness – an artistic intervention against forgetting.
It is a unique – almost historic – opportunity to present the exhibition “Brüder Schwadron: call to mind” in the spacious rooms at Franz-Josefs-Kai 3. From 1905 onward, the company was based in this very building, which was designed and planned by architect Julius Goldschläger. The beautiful tiled ceiling in the first room still recalls the Brüder Schwadron and will be an integral part of the presentation.
As part of the project’s preparation, extensive research was carried out – without claiming completeness – and a subjective selection of private houses was made. The exhibition focuses on 20 Viennese apartment buildings whose vestibules were decorated with architectural ceramics by the Brüder Schwadron. This means that the flooring and/or wall tiling in these entryways was executed by the company.
In addition, the exhibition includes a series of photographs of public buildings that were demonstrably equipped by Brüder Schwadron: the Amalienbad, the Chamber of Commerce, Café Schwarzenberg, Gasthaus Reinthaler, and the largest barrel in the Imperial Wine Cellar. In this way, the project acknowledges the wide-ranging impact of the company and honors its contribution to the flourishing of decorative craftsmanship between Late Historicism and Art Nouveau.
The third part of the presentation will feature an interactive spatial sculpture, fulfilling the title of the project “Brüder Schwadron: call to mind” and to be understood as a social sculpture in the spirit of Joseph Beuys. Even prior to the exhibition opening, the people of Vienna are explicitly invited to participate by submitting photographs of their personal surroundings that show traces of the Schwadron legacy. These submitted photos will be integrated into the spatial sculpture – an archival body – with name credit and location of discovery.
The design of the project website also reflects this participatory approach: the platform will continue to evolve beyond the duration of the exhibition, continually supplemented and expanded with the submitted photographic material.
Concept: Tina Zickler
Photographies: Lisa Rastl
Project website:
http://projekt-schwadron.at
It is a unique – almost historic – opportunity to present the exhibition “Brüder Schwadron: call to mind” in the spacious rooms at Franz-Josefs-Kai 3. From 1905 onward, the company was based in this very building, which was designed and planned by architect Julius Goldschläger. The beautiful tiled ceiling in the first room still recalls the Brüder Schwadron and will be an integral part of the presentation.
As part of the project’s preparation, extensive research was carried out – without claiming completeness – and a subjective selection of private houses was made. The exhibition focuses on 20 Viennese apartment buildings whose vestibules were decorated with architectural ceramics by the Brüder Schwadron. This means that the flooring and/or wall tiling in these entryways was executed by the company.
In addition, the exhibition includes a series of photographs of public buildings that were demonstrably equipped by Brüder Schwadron: the Amalienbad, the Chamber of Commerce, Café Schwarzenberg, Gasthaus Reinthaler, and the largest barrel in the Imperial Wine Cellar. In this way, the project acknowledges the wide-ranging impact of the company and honors its contribution to the flourishing of decorative craftsmanship between Late Historicism and Art Nouveau.
The third part of the presentation will feature an interactive spatial sculpture, fulfilling the title of the project “Brüder Schwadron: call to mind” and to be understood as a social sculpture in the spirit of Joseph Beuys. Even prior to the exhibition opening, the people of Vienna are explicitly invited to participate by submitting photographs of their personal surroundings that show traces of the Schwadron legacy. These submitted photos will be integrated into the spatial sculpture – an archival body – with name credit and location of discovery.
The design of the project website also reflects this participatory approach: the platform will continue to evolve beyond the duration of the exhibition, continually supplemented and expanded with the submitted photographic material.
Concept: Tina Zickler
Photographies: Lisa Rastl
Project website:
http://projekt-schwadron.at