Kunsthaus Bregenz


The Kunsthaus Bregenz presents temporary exhibitions of international contemporary art in Bregenz, capital of the Austrian Federal State of Vorarlberg. Commissioned by the State of Vorarlberg and designed by the Swiss architect Peter Zumthor, it was built between 1990 and 1997.

Exhibitions

The Kunsthaus Bregenz is one of Europe’s leading galleries for contemporary art both architecturally and in terms of its program. The KUB Arena located on the ground floor, along with three vertical floors, offers 1,880 m² of exhibition space. The Kunsthaus exhibits works by international contemporary artists who generally create art work specifically for the Kunsthaus. The KUB also has its own collection with two core areas: “Archive Art Architecture” and “Contemporary Austrian Art.” Select works of exhibiting artists have been expanding the latter part of the collection since 2009.
The KUB not only addresses international concerns with its exhibitions and projects, but also helps shape the cultural identity of Vorarlberg with regional projects. Noteworthy examples are Gottfried Bechtold’s “Signatur 02” at the Silvretta dam, the American artist Jenny Holzer’s “Truth Before Power”, involving the projection of large-format texts onto architectural and natural monuments in Vorarlberg, or, from August 2010 through April 2012, the British sculptor Antony Gormley’s landscape project “Horizon Field.”
Apart from extensive and prestigious shows in its main exhibition spaces, the KUB also runs projects with a processual and interdisciplinary bias in the KUB Arena. Conceived as a discursive interface between architecture and work, this art and art educational platform is located on the ground floor of the Kunsthaus.
Alongside its exhibitions, the Kunsthaus offers an extensive educational program. The Kunsthaus Bregenz publishes work-relevant books, collections of essays, and catalogues, often in close collaboration with exhibiting artists and designers such as Walter Nikkels or Stefan Sagmeister. Exclusive special editions for the Kunsthaus Bregenz are an outcome of the close collaboration between artists and their exhibition production.

History

The KUB opened in July 1997 with an exhibition by the American artist James Turrell. Edelbert Köb, founding director of the Kunsthaus Bregenz, was succeeded by Eckhard Schneider and Yilmaz Dziewior. Austrian born Thomas D. Trummer has been director of the Kunsthaus Bregenz since May 1, 2015.

Architecture

The Kunsthaus Bregenz was designed by the Swiss architect Peter Zumthor, 2009 Pritzker Architecture Prize laureate, and winner of the Mies van der Rohe Award for European Architecture in 1998. The KUB has since received numerous distinctions for its method of construction. One of the major modern art galleries worldwide, it is a fine example of architectural minimalism. Distinguished by its imposing external form and unwavering spatial concept, the building was conceived as a daylight museum. Swiss architect Peter Zumthor’s design, in his own words, aimed at fulfilling an art gallery’s chief function: to be a place for art and a place where people can peacefully encounter art. For artists exhibiting at the KUB, the architecture is a measure and conceptual stimulus for their projects, especially when entire new series of works are being produced. The architecture is an indispensable platform for the KUB’s international exhibition program.

Location

The KUB is a prominent solitary construction in downtown Bregenz near the vorarlberg museum and Vorarlberger Landestheater and not far from the lakefront. Together with the Landestheater it frames an open square between the old town and the lake.

Façade

The façade consists of 712 finely etched equally sized glass panels weighing some 250 kg each, secured by clips to a steel framework. These panels form a free-standing, light-diffusing skin, independent of the actual building, that serves to initially refract the incident daylight and conduct it to the light ceilings in the exhibition halls. At dark, the artificial lighting from the interior shines through inner light bands and outer skin to show the building’s interior life. The gap between light skin and building accommodates servicing equipment. Artists exhibiting at the KUB have sometimes made use of the façade in their installations.

Interior

Materials distinguish the interior, with exposed unpainted concrete visibly dominating. The floors and stairways are of polished terrazzo, the walls and ceilings of exposed unpolished concrete. The ground floor accommodates foyer, checkroom, cashier’s desk, and catalogue sales, although most of its almost 500 m2 is used as a multifunctional exhibiting space for KUB Arena projects. Aside from its etched glass outer walls, three differently positioned concrete wall-slabs are visible on the ground floor. These support the Kunsthaus floors and ceilings, structuring the exhibition space on all three upper stories and dividing it from the main stairways, emergency exits, and passenger and freight elevators. Uniformly positioned entrances and exits structure a route through ground floor and upper stories. The latter differ only in ceiling height; each can be used as one large space or scaled down by means of mobile partitions, depending on the project. All three upper stories are top-lit. The ceilings of the exhibition spaces are of loosely joined glass panels. Incident light enters the building on all four sides through light bands and is distributed through the interior volume of each story by the glass ceiling panels. Artificial lighting in the cavity above the glass ceilings complements or replaces daylight as required. These light sources are not visible. The ground and three upper stories and their material and formal aesthetic make up a unity with great potential for art installations. Two subterranean levels complete the spatial program. The first, supplied with daylight by a light pit, accommodates a lecture room, the museum educational center, and sanitary rooms, separated from the non public areas by translucent glass brick walls. The second subterranean level is closed to the public. It accommodates an originals archive and storage space as well as the electrical, heating, and climate controls.

Administration building, café

The KUB administration building is set a short way off from the town side of the Kunsthaus, its black façade directed at the front of the Kunsthaus and its entrance. It acts as a transitional structure to the smaller and low buildings of the old part of the town. In addition to administration offices, the ground floor houses the KUB café. Peter Zumthor has displayed his uncompromising architectural vision here again, café, bar area, and kitchen being faced with black exposed concrete. In separating these amenities indispensable to a modern art gallery from the art exhibiting building, the latter can devote itself to its primary purpose.

KUB collection showcase

The Kunsthaus Bregenz has its own collection. One of the largest groups of works in the collection consists of architectural models by Peter Zumthor. Some of these exhibits have been archived since the architect's solo exhibition in 2007. Further models have been and are still being added to the collection as permanent loans. Buildings and projects that were realized as well as those that remained in the design stage are on show. The variety displayed in the exhibition demonstrates the outstanding role that working with models and materials such as wood, metal, or clay plays in Peter Zumthor's studio.

List of exhibitions

YearArtistExhibitionDuration
1997James TurrellJames TurrellJuly 26–Sept. 7
32 international artistsKunst in der Stadt 1July 26–Sept. 7
50 international artistsKünstlerInnenSept. 29–Nov. 30
Per KirkebyPersonale: Malerei, Zeichnung, SkulpturDec. 6, 1997–Feb. 15, 1998
1998Lois RennerLois RennerFeb. 28–April 13
Franz Ackermann, Marcel Broodthaers, Ingo Günther, Moshekwa Langa, Carsten & Olaf Nicolai, Georg Nussbaumer, Valeska Peschke, Eva Wohlgemuth, Yukinori YanagiAtlas Mapping: Künstler als Kartographen. Kartographie als KulturFeb. 28-April 13
Adrian SchiessMalerei. PersonaleApril 25–June 28
Georg Baselitz, Max Bill, Daniel Buren, Heinrich Dunst, Helmut Federle, Christoph Haerle, Marcia Hafif, Erwin Heerich, Gottfried Honegger, Donald Judd, Per Kirkeby, Cornelius Kolig, Gerhard Merz, Francois Morellet, Walter Pichler, Ulrich Rückriem, Bernar Venet, Franz Erhard Walther, Peter Wigglesworth, Heimo ZobernigRäume der KunstApril 25–June 28
Sepp Dreissiger66 Fotoportraits aus der Vorarlberger KulturMay 8–June 28
47 international artistsKunst in der Stadt 2July 11–Sept. 20
42 international artistsLifestyleJuly 11–Sept. 20
Albert Bechtold, Edmund Kalb, Edwin Neyer, Rudolf WackerBechtold/Kalb/Neyer/Wacker: Body of WorkOct. 3–June 27, 1999
Rainer GanahlRainer GanahlOct. 10–Nov. 22
Erwin BohatschMalereiNov. 28, 1998–Jan. 24, 1999
Gerhard MerzDresdenNov. 28, 1998–Jan. 24, 1999
1999Ingeborg StroblEinige Gegenstände. Und SonnenuntergangJan. 30–April. 5
Erwin Wurmone minute sculpturesJan. 30–April. 5
Lucinda Devlin, Andreas Gursky, Candida HöferRäumeApril 9–June 27
Ernst Strouhal & Heimo ZobernigDer KatalogMay 28–June 27
Wolfgang LaibPersonaleJuly 10–Sept. 19
32 international artistsKunst in der Stadt 3July 10–Sept. 19
Keith SonnierEnvironmental Works 1968–99Oct. 2–Nov. 28
Helmut FederlePersonaleDec. 9, 1999–Feb. 6, 2000
2000Peter KoglerPersonaleFeb. 19–April 30
Donald JuddFarbeMay 13–July 2
Atelier van Lieshout, CALC, Kommune Friedrichshof /Theo Altenberg, Irene & Christine Hohenbüchler, The Icelandic Love Corporation, Lyn Löwenstein, Pierre Montavon / Justo Gallego Martinez, N55, Walter Pilar, Ross SinclairLKWJuly 15–Sept. 17
Symposium KunsthäuserArchitektur vs Kunst – Kunst vs MuseumNov. 16–18
Concept by Suzanne Greub, Vittorio Magnago Lampugnani and Angeli SachsMuseums for a New MilleniumOct. 3, 2000–Jan. 7, 2001
2001Daniel BurenLes Couleurs TraverséesJan. 27–March 18
Olafur EliassonThe mediated motionMarch 31–May 13
Günther FörgFÖRGMay 24–July
Jeff KoonsJeff KoonsJuly 18–Sept. 16
Hiroshi SugimotoThe Architecture of TimeSept. 27–Jan. 6, 2002
2002Douglas GordonDouglas GordonJan. 17–April 14
Gilbert & GeorgeGilbert & GeorgeApril 28–June 23
Louise BourgeoisZeichnungen und Skulpturen – Drawings and SculpturesJuly 6–Sept. 15
Ruth SchnellTerritorism July 12–Aug. 18
Pierre HuygheL'expédition scintillanteSept. 28–Nov. 24
Doug AitkenNEW OCEAN Dec. 7, 2002–Jan. 26, 2003
2003Mariko MoriWave UFOFeb. 8–March 23
Gerhard Merzfragmente bregenz 2003April 12–June 22
Franz WestWe'll Not Carry CoalsJuly 5–Sept. 14
Anish KapoorMy Red HomelandSept. 27–Nov. 16
Eija-Liisa Ahtila, Tacita Dean, Anri Sala, Jane & Louis WilsonRemind...Nov. 30, 2003–Jan. 11, 2004
Tone FinkCarwalkDec. 6, 2003–Jan. 18, 2004
2004Gary HumeThe Bird had a Yellow BeakJan. 24–March 21
Santiago Sierra300 Tonnen / 300 tonsApril 3–May 23
Jenny HolzerTruth Before PowerJune 12–Sept. 5
Thomas DemandPhototrophySept. 18–Nov. 7
Hans SchabusDas RendezvousproblemNov. 20, 2004–Jan. 16, 2005
2005Jake + Dinos ChapmanExplaining Christians to DinosaursJan. 29–March 28
concept by Otto Kapfinger and Marie-Hélène ContalKonstruktive Provokation – Neues Bauen in VorarlbergFeb. 5–March 28
Rachel WhitereadWalls, Doors, Floors and StairsApril 9–May 29
Roy LichtensteinKlassik des Neuen – Classic of the NewJune 12–Sept. 9
Siegrun Appelt288 KWJuly 9–Sept. 4
Marko Lulic, Dorit Margreiter, Nicole Six & Paul Petritsch, Gregor ZivicTu Felix Austria... Wild at HeartJuly 9–Sept. 4
Janet Cardiff & George Bures MillerThe Secret HotelNov. 26, 2005–Jan. 15, 2006
2006Jean-Marc Bustamante-beautifuldays-Jan. 29–March 19
gelitinChinese Synthese LeberkäseApril 13–May 28
Michael Craig-MartinSigns of LifeJune 10–Aug. 13
Tino SehgalAug. 17–Sept. 24
Gottfried BechtoldReine und gemischte ZuständeOct. 1–Nov. 19
Cindy ShermanDec. 2, 2006–Jan. 28, 2007
2007Marcel Duchamp, Gerhard Merz, Damien Hirst, Jeff KoonsRe-ObjectFeb. 18–May 13
Joseph Beuys, Matthew Barney, Douglas Gordon, Cy TwomblyMythosJune 2–Sept. 9
Peter ZumthorBauten und Projekte 1986–2007Sept. 29, 2007–Jan. 9, 2008
2008Maurizio CattelanFeb. 2–March 24
Carsten HöllerCarrouselApril 12–June 1
Richard SerraDrawings – Work Comes Out of WorkJune 14–Sept. 14
Jan FabreFrom the Cellar to the Attic – From the Feet to the BrainSept. 27–Jan. 25, 2009
2009Markus SchinwaldVanishing LessonsFeb. 14–March 13
Lothar BaumgartenSeven Sounds/Seven CirclesApril 25–June 21
Antony GormleyAntony GormleyJuly 13–Oct. 4
Tony OurslerLock 2,4,6Oct. 24, 2009–Jan. 17, 2010
2010Candice BreitzThe Scripted LifeFeb. 6–April 11
Roni HornWell and TrulyApril 24–July 4
Cosima von BoninThe Fatigue EmpireJuly 18–Oct. 3
RaumlaborberlinBye Bye UtopiaJuly 18–Oct. 3
Harun FarockiWeiche Montagen / Soft MontagesOct. 23–Jan. 9, 2011
Antony GormleyHorizon FieldAug. 2010–April 2012
2011Haegue YangArrivalsJan. 22–April 3
Michal Heiman, Hannah Hurtzig, Katrin MayerKUB Arena: Living Archives - Kooperation Van AbbemuseumJan. 22–April 3
Ei Arakawa, John Baldessari, Anne Collier, Simon Denny, Jean-Luc Godard, Wade Guyton, Rachel Harrison, institut for incongruous translation, Tobias Kaspar, Barbara Kruger, Richards Prince, Michael Riedel, Martha Rosler, Nora Schultz, Danh Vo, Kelley Walker, Andy WarholSo machen wir es. Techniken und Ästhetik der Aneignung / That´s the way we do it. The Techniques and Aesthetic of AppropriationApril 16–July 3
Yona Friedman and Eckhard Schulze-FielitzKUB ArenaApril 16–July 3
Ai WeiweiArt/ArchitectureJuly 16–Oct. 16
45 international artistsKUB Arena: Anfang Gut. Alles Gut. / Beginning good. All good.July 16–Oct. 16
Valie ExportArchiv / ArchiveOct. 29–Jan. 22, 2012
Theatre project: International Institute of Political Murder BerlinKUB Arena: Hate RadioOct. 29–Jan. 22, 2012
2012Yvonne RainerRaum, Körper, Sprache / Space, Body, LanguageFeb. 4-April 9
Yto Barrada, Alice Creischer, Josef Dabernig, Katrina Daschner, Andreas Fogarasi, Claire Fontaine, Sanja Ivekovic, Julius Koller, Jiri Kovanda, Dorit Margreiter, Ulrike Müller, Andreas Pawlik, Mathias Poledna, Florian Pumhösl, Walid Raad, Jochen Smith, Andreas Siekmann, Mladen Stilinovic, Kamen Stoyanov, Milica TomicKUB Arena: Bleibender Wert? Kooperation >springerin< / Enduring Value? Cooperation with 'springerin'Feb. 4-April 9
Danh VõVô DanhApril 21-June 24
Ulrike MüllerKUB Arena: Herstory Inventory: 100 feministische Zeichnungen von 100 KünstlerInnen / 100 feminist drawings by 100 artistsApril 21-June 24
Peter ZumthorKUB Sammlungsschaufenster: Architekturmodelle Peter Zumthor / Architectural Models by Peter ZumthorJune 23-Oct. 28
Ed RuschaReading Ed RuschaJuly 7-Oct. 14
Conference Concept by Eva Birkenstock, Diedrich Diederichsen, Max Jorge Hinderer Cruz, Jens Kastner, Ruth SondereggerKUB Arena: Sommerakademie. Kunst und Ideologiekritik nach 1989 / Art and ideological criticism after 1989Sept. 24-Sept. 30
Florian PumhöslRäumliche SequenzOct. 26-Jan. 20, 2013
Jacob Barua, Sam Hopkins, Laura Horelli, Peterson Kamwathi Waweru, Maasai Mbili, James Muriuki, Kevo Stero, Studio PropolisKUB Arena: Nairobi - A State of Mind, Cooperation Goethe-Institute Nairobi, KenyaOct. 26-Jan. 20, 2013
2013Neil Beloufa, Minerva Cuevas, Mariechen Danz, Isa Genzken, Hans Haacke, Keith Haring, Teresa Margolles, Ken Okiishi, Julika Rudelius, Yorgos Sapountzis, Cindy Sherman, Andreas Siekmann, Dirk Stewen, Pascale Marthine Tayou, Rosemarie Trockel, Cathy WilkesLove is Colder than CapitalFeb. 2-April 14
Andy WarholKUB Arena: Andy Warhol - Fifteen Minutes of FameFeb. 2-April 14
Wade Guyton and Kelley WalkerWade Guyton, Guyton\Walker, Kelley WalkerApril 27-June 30
Yane Calovski, David Maljkovic, Dorit Margreiter, Nick Mauss, Charlotte Moth, Stephen Willats, Johannes WohnseiferKUB Arena: On the Move. European Kunsthalle at the KUB ArenaAug. 5-Aug 11
Gabriel OrozcoNatural MotionJuly 13-Oct. 6
SKILLS, Camilla Milena Fehér, Sylvi Kretzschmar, Matias Aguayo x MostroKUB Arena: Back to the Future. A Week in Summer of Art, Films, and MusicAug. 5-Aug. 11
Barbara KrugerOct. 19-Jan. 12, 2014
Dora GarciaKUB Arena: Dora GarciaOct. 19-Jan. 12, 2014
2014Pascal Marthine TayouI love youJan. 25-April. 27
Gerry Bibby and Juliette BlightmanKUB Arena: Gerry Bibby and Juliette BlightmanJan. 25-April. 27
Maria EichhornMaria EichhornMay 10-June 7
Sung Hwan Kim and dogrKUB Arena: I will dress you, howl bowel owlMay 10-June 7
Richard PrinceIt's a Free ConcertJuly 19-Oct. 5
Julian GötheKUB Arena: Sommerfestival. Vom Werden und SeinJuly 29-Aug. 3
Jeff WallTableaux Pictures Photographs 1996-2013Oct. 18-Jan. 11 2015
Hannah WeinbergKUB Arena: Hannah WeinbergOct. 18-Jan. 11 2015
2015Rosemarie TrockelMärzôschnee ûnd Wiebôrweh sand am Môargô niana meJan. 24-April 6
Trix and Robert HaussmannKUB Arena: Reflexion und TransparenzJan. 25-April 6
Berlinde De BruyckereThe EmbalmerApril 18-July 5
Dexter SinisterKUB Arena: At 1:1 Scale.*April 18-July 5
Joan MitchellRetrospective. Her Life and PaintingsJuly 18-Oct. 25
Kerstin Brätsch, Debo Eilers and Kaya SereneKUB Arena: KAMP KAYAAug. 27-Aug. 30
Heimo ZobernigHeimo ZobernigNov. 12-Jan. 10 2016
Amy SillmanKUB Arena: Yes & NoNov. 12-Jan. 10 2016
2016Susan PhilipszNight and FogJan. 30-April 3
Trix and Robert HaussmannKUB Arena: Reflexion und TransparenzJan. 25-April 27
Anna-Sophie BergerKUB BillboardsFeb. 26-May 17
Theaster GatesBlack ArchivesApril 23-June 26
Gaylen Gerber and Studio for Propositional CinemaKUB Projects: ExhibitionJune 23–26
Feminist Landart RetreatKUB BillboardsMay 5-July 25
Wael ShawkyWael ShawkyJuly 16-Oct. 23
Maja CuleKUB BillboardsAug. 5-Oct. 31
Sol CaleroKUB ProjectsOct. 23-Jan. 15 2017
Lawrence WeinerWHEREWITHAL WAS ES BRAUCHTNov. 12-Jan. 15 2017
Daiga GrantinaKUB BillboardsNov. 4-Jan. 15 2017
2017Rachel RoseRachel RoseFeb. 4-April 17
Adrián Villar RojasThe Theater of DisappearanceMay 13-Aug. 27
Simon FujiwaraKUB Billboards: CampaignApril 21-Jan. 7 2018
Peter ZumthorDear to MeSept. 16-Jan. 7 2018
2018Simon FujiwaraHope HouseJan. 27-April 8
Flaka HalitiKUB BillboardsFeb. 16-April 22
Mika RottenbergMika RottenbergApril 21-July 1
Alicia FrankovichKUB Billboards: After Blue MarbleMay 5-July 15
David ClaerboutDavid ClaerboutJuly 14-Oct. 7
Lili Reynaud DewarKUB BillboardsJuly 26-Oct. 21
2019Tacita DeanTacita DeanOct. 20-Jan. 6
Maeve BrennanKUB BillboardsNov. 8-Jan. 20
Ed AtkinsEd AtkinsJan. 19-March 31
Miriam CahnDAS GENAUE HINSCHAUENApr. 13-Jun. 30
Thomas SchütteThomas SchütteJuly 13-Oct. 6
2020Raphaela VogelBellend bin ich aufgewachtOct. 19-Jan.6
Bunny RogersKind KingdomJan 18-Apr. 13
Art that is UnforgettableKUB BillboardsApr. 16-Summer 2020
Helen Cammock, William Kentridge´s The Centre of the Less Good Idea, Annette Messager, Rabih Mroué, Markus Schinwald, Marianna Simnett, Ania SolimanUnprecedent TimesJun 5-Aug. 30