Photos and the City

Tag: Vienna

WOW! The Heidi Horten Collection

Last week the Leopold Museum & Instagrammers Austria invited us to visit the fabulous Heidi Horten Collection, now shown in the fourth floor (and the lobby).

The exhibition “WOW! The Heidi Horten Collection” is the first public presentation of one of the most impressive European private collections. The presentation at the Leopold Museum fulfils the collector’s long-cherished wish to make the masterpieces meticulously collected by her since the 1990s by artists from Gustav Klimt to Andy Warhol and Damien Hirst accessible to a wide audience. (Leopold Museum)

Heidi Horten started her collection with her late husband Helmut Horten (1909-1987) who was known as the “Kaufhaus König” – even so, the foundation of his department store empire was based on the Aryanization of the “Warenhaus Gebrüder Alsberg” in 1939. After the death of her husband, Horten started to focus on art pieces she enjoyed and artists she loved like Chagall. With the help of the art expert and her friend Agnes Husslein Horten grew her collection to one of the most important European private collection.

In 1996 Horten managed to buy 30 pieces at an auction in London and the rumours of this mysterious collector went around the world.

The collection was developed primarily by being true to the collector’s personal taste, but was also informed by a purposeful focus on relationships between the various categories of works, therefore following a common thread. (Horten Collection)

This inaugural public presentation has its origins in the sense of cultural and political responsibility felt by Heidi Goëss-Horten. The Heidi Horten Collection aims to preserve outstanding works from art history for future generations and to make them available to the public at large. Its foremost goal is to encourage young people through educational programs. (Horten Collection)

It is a beautiful collection, spanning the last 100 years in art history – definitely worth one or more visits, even more as Heidi Horten wanted to open it to a broad public the entry is free every Thursday from 18:00 to 21:00 until the end of the show on July 29th.

WOW! The Heidi Horten Collection

Leopold Museum, Vienna

Until July 29th, 2018.

17/04/2018
Art & Portraits at Donaukanal

For many, many years the Donaukanal, a former arm of the Danube, now a regulated water channel going through Vienna, was more or less ignored – a real Viennese “Gstättn“. A Gstättn means a grassy patch of land in the city, mostly ignored by official city planners (until it´s decided to build something on it).

In the early 1990is, the southern section was transformed into a more recreational area with playgrounds, grass and lots of benches. The section along the first and second district only made it´s revival some years ago, when the first cafés opened and part of the paths gets transformed into beaches during the summer, even a floating swimming pool was opened – and suddenly the former Gstättn became one of Vienna’s hot spots the whole year round. there is always something going on.

Art Collectives working there, street art (it´s actually legal to spray there), boats going to Bratislava, sporty zones, cafés and much much more can be done at the Canal. It´s also a wonderful location to takes pictures and use as a backdrop for portraits and fashion photography. Or take a photo walk with me. Airbnb Experiences now are also available in Vienna, there are quite a few to choose from and one of them is a photo walk along the Donaukanal.

Don´t hesitate to get in contact, if you´re interested in booking your own photo walk in and around Vienna! For more information on the one at Donaukanal have a look at Airbnb!

03/04/2018
Be my valentine.. or not!

Tomorrow is Valentine’s day and you might be in need of some ideas for a present or just some tips how to spend the day or maybe ignore it. Do whatever you´ll like to do!

Walking by this flower shop on behind St. Stephens cathedral makes me always happy, every time they have these lovely arrangements in front of their store. It brightens up every grey and moody day in Vienna.

There are two options around the corner – first go to Haas & Haas and get some tea. “Highland Toffee” is an old favourite of mine and then turn around two or three corners until you´ve reached Altmann & Kühne. They not only have the cutest packages but also the best tiny pralines!

Walk through all the narrow little streets around Graben and Kärntnerstrasse until you reach the Albertina. Kissing the Muses, dancing around the Hall of the Muses is always a good idea and don´t forget to say hi to Monet!

It´s about time for some coffee! And you probably know that Vienna has an abundance of great Kaffeehäuser! From old to modern to hip and cosy – there is one (or more) for everyone! Some of my favourites are Alt Wien, Phil, Josephine, Kleines Café and many more!

Are we in the mood for another museum? The Art history Museum at Maria Theresien Platz is another one you don´t wanna miss! “The Stairway to Klimt” is opening today and will bring you eye to eye with Klimt’s work in the main staircase.

And to end up an amazing day, what about a movie?

Have a great day, whatever you gonna do!

13/02/2018