In The Open, Kunsthalle Exnergasse, WUK, Vienna

In the Open – Negotiating Public Space

Date: 4–25 November 2023
Location: Kunsthalle Exnergasse, WUK, Vienna, Austria

Artists: Ruth Beale, Deniz Beşer, Charlotte Fleischmann and Laura Lohmann from OUTsite, Anna Gaberscik, Gala Alica Ostan Ožbolt

Curated by Fiona Irene Graf

In the Open is a multidisciplinary exhibition and accompanying programme exploring the possibilities and limitations of public space. Against the backdrop of intensifying socio-political, economic and environmental crises, In the Open examines the significance and ongoing transformation of social space, including its role as a mirror of democratic participation and a tool for systemic change.

While the project places the reduction of collectively shared spaces in a broader temporal context and critically examines its consequences, it also proposes viable alternative visions for a shared future. Through a programme ranging from thematic workshops and game afternoons to communal lunches and discussion sessions, In the Open experiments with multidisciplinary, interactive and participatory approaches to negotiating and redefining public space in collaboration with visitors.

Due to the renovation of WUK, concerts, performances, exhibitions and children’s theatre cannot temporarily take place in their usual venues. The four departments at WUK are therefore joining forces. Under the title “VERSUCHSANSTALT,” they are curating a programme in the newly renovated project space, bringing together their themes and formats in a spatial and conceptual dialogue and interplay.

Zinestallation is an installation by Deniz Beşer presented within the group exhibition “In The Open” at Kunsthalle Exnergasse, WUK Vienna. The work features 51 unique zines from artists across the globe, forming a curated exploration of independent publishing as a medium for contemporary artistic expression.

Through this installation, Beşer investigates the diverse approaches, narratives, and visual languages present in the international zine community. Each publication serves as an individual lens into global art practices, collective memory, and cultural dialogues. The project highlights the critical role of independent publishing in fostering creative exchange and amplifying alternative voices within the contemporary art landscape.

For more information: https://www.wuk.at/en/events/in-the-open/