>emerging artists< A forum for new art at The Essl Collection

When the Museum of the Essl collection was inaugurated in 1999, it was a particular concern of the collectors Agnes and Karlheinz Essl to devote an important part of the future exhibition programme to young contemporary art. Gabriele Bösch, then the artistic director of the collection, had devised a congenial scheme which was consistently implemented in the following years. The resulting series of exhibitions was given the title >emerging artists< and envisaged the provision of a museum context for the work of young, contemporary artists who had not yet been discovered by museums and, in some cases, were not even represented by galleries. Initially, the “concrete cube” in the collection’s art storage facilities was the ideal exhibition space for the >emerging artists< series. This unadorned, windowless space, surrounded by concrete walls on all sides, quickly turned out to be a very appropriate venue for all kinds of emerging art shows. In the course of four years (2000-2003), about 40 contemporary artists were presented to the public in this exciting and stimulating context.

In recent years, the collection has expanded so quickly that the "concrete cube" could no longer be made available for shows and the Essl Museum had to rethink its options. After one year of planning and preparation, the >emerging artists< series was reborn in a new format in 2005. Instead of several individual presentations, group exhibitions are organised. True to the mission and leading ideas of the original concept, these exhibitions will be devoted to the contemporary art scene which is not yet visible on the art market.

The exhibition series >emerging artists< takes place every two years – alternating with >The Essl Award for Central and Southeast Europe<. The application material for the next group show will be posted at www.essl.museum at the beginning of 2010.

emerging artists 2008

emerging artists 2006

emerging artists 2005

The first group exhibition (2005) in this series was designed by curator Christine Humpl and had the title >hotspots<. It provided insights into current art scenes from Amsterdam, Berlin, London, Paris and Vienna. Ten scenes totalling 70 artists were selected out of more than 400 applications. Artists central to the respective scene acted as artist-curators.

Anne Wenzel: Ohne Titel (Hirsch) (2005)
Keramik, Metall, 140 x 170 x 165 cm
Ausstellungsansicht: Sweet Life (TENT, Rotterdam, 2005)
Foto: Hans Wilschut, Rotterdam
© Anne Wenzel

Participating artists 2005

BERLIN:
Annette Gödde (Artist-curator)
Katinka Bock
Nine Budde
Heike Gallmeier
Beatrice Jugert
Barbara Sturm (Artist-curator)
Gert Bendel
Frederik Foert
Andreas Koch
Alena Meier
Annette Ruenzler
Albrecht Schäfer
Dominic Wood
Vanessa Wood

LONDON:
Kamini Vellodi (Artist-curator)
James Connelly
Thomas Hylander
Julian Simmons
Katsutoshi Yuasa
Luke Gottelier (Artist-curator)
Sam Basu
Brian Griffiths
Francis Upritchard

PARIS:
Olivier Bardin & Loris Gréaud (Artist-curator)
Fabienne Audéoud
Laetitia Badaut
Pierre Denan
Christelle Lheureux
Laurent Massaloux
Daniel Perrier
Collectif 1.0.3: Anne Couzon Cesca, Francois and Arnaud Bernus (Artist-curators)
Sophie Dejode & Bertrand Lacombe
Céline Duval
Le Gentil Garçon
Cécile Hartmann
Pierre Leguillon
Ingrid Luche
Audrey Marlhens
Robert Rudolf
Kristina Solomoukha
Shingo Yoshida

WIEN:
Bernadette Rosa Müller (Artist-curator)
Astrid Bechtold
Alfred Graf
Christoph Luger
Moussa Kone (Artist-curator)
Amina Broggi
Christian Eisenberger
Nilbar Güres
Bernhard Hosa

CURATOR’S SPOT:

emerging artists 2003

emerging artists 2002

emerging artists 2001

emerging artists 2000