Rooms of longing

Since the earliest times, humanity has been closely connected to nature. On the one hand, natural spaces seem familiar, as they are developed and made usable for settlement; on the other hand, however, they remain inaccessible and alien in their autonomy and independence, wildness, or even eeriness. Influenced by these ideas, the perception and representation of landscape is a projection screen for longings and desires, dreams, or even nightmares.

The exhibition explores how modern and contemporary artists engage with nature and landscape as a cultural space and place of longing. Starting with the cultural landscape of Lower Austria, which has offered peace and inspiration to those seeking relaxation since the 19th century—including many artists (such as Egon Schiele)—a diverse exhibition parcours emerges, stretching from the Wachau region to Trieste and creating an exciting dialogue between works of atmospheric impressionism and classical modernism and contemporary works. The new Lower Austrian State Gallery is located in Krems, at the gateway to the Wachau region—an area away from the big city that continues to be regarded as a place of longing and is perceived as such.

Sehnsuchtsräume raises the question of the extent to which our view of nature is still influenced by the romantic landscape perspective of the 19th century and what strategies we humans use to make nature “our” landscape. The picturesque spaces of longing depicted by Emil Jakob Schindler, Maria Egner, and Egon Schiele are contrasted with a contemporary view of the (cultural) landscape, for example in the photographic works of Robert F. Hammerstiel, Michael Goldgruber, and Margherita Spiluttini, which deal with the perception, construction, and representation of landscape.

In our present day, however, the concept of a place of longing can also be interpreted beyond a tourist setting. For example, as a place of refuge for people fleeing their homes. This topical issue is addressed in several works, including expressive photographs by Ekaterina Sevrouk and a large-format fence installation by Iris Andraschek and Hubert Lobnig. The numerous works from the Lower Austrian State Collections are supplemented by private and public loans.

Curator: Günther Oberhollenzer