Franz West

The Albertina Museum is devoting a retrospective to Franz West (1947–2012) in honor of what would have been his 80th birthday. This nonconformist artist, known for an unruly personality characterized by willfulness and humor, participated in multiple editions of documenta and the Venice Biennale, whose Golden Lion he received in 2011. It was under the influence of Viennese Actionism that West originated his legendary Adaptives in the 1970s: by being worn, held, and applied, these prothesis-like objects adapt to the human body’s shapes and give the audience the opportunity to interact. Objects thus become opportunities, with art becoming a situation. West’s oeuvre breaks boundaries, connects art with life, and has inspired multiple generations of artists. This presentation pays homage to one who removed art from its pedestal to place it in the thick of life.