Tools of Enlightenment

About

Incorporating the perspectives of artists and cultural creators on the burning questions affecting society today in the Alpbach Symposia and enabling an on-site experience of innovative art projects are just as central to the aims of the European Forum Alpbach as creating the opportunity for over 700 young people to participate in the European Forum Alpbach every year.

The cooperation between the University of Applied Arts Vienna and the European Forum Alpbach is a key building block in the programme on offer at Alpbach. For the first time within this framework, artistic works by students will be on display in a wide variety of locations – in public spaces as well as at sites around the Congress Centre.

The students have worked intensively with the themes raised by the topic of “New Enlightenment”, developing concepts and artworks around them, while in addition participating in the academic seminars and symposia.

We are delighted that this year, for the first time, we will be joined by outstanding students from both classes  at the University of Applied Arts. 26 artworks, photographs, as well as installations and objects will be shown within this space of dialogue. We are convinced that the exhibition and its works will leave their mark on the discussions and symposia.

The planning and implementation of this kind of collaboration and exhibition usually involves a large number of people: we would like to thank the students, who brought an incredible level of engagement and good cheer to devising and realising their artistic projects, as well as their professors, Matthias Koslik and Gabriele Rothemann, who guided and accompanied the artists, and to congratulate them all on a successful exhibition.

Our warm thanks also go to Robert Mathy, Marcel Köhler, Judith Pichlmüller and Meinhard Rauchensteiner for contributing to the success of the exhibition, as well as to Ruth Horak for the catalogue texts and Theresa Hattinger for its graphic design.

Friendship and mutual esteem characterised the collaboration between the two organisations, which are working for a peaceful and democratic Europe.