The Albertina Klosterneuburg is getting a vibrant makeover with a new Pop Art exhibition that opened Friday, featuring classic works alongside an eye-catching donation from contemporary artist Andreas Slominski. The colorful display complements the ongoing sculpture exhibition "De Sculptura," which has been showcasing works by international artists including Jonathan Meese and Annette Messager since April.
Under the annual theme "De Sculptura," the museum is presenting non-traditional sculpture, featuring abstract object art made from materials like plastic and metal rather than classical stone carving. The complete exhibition now includes 70 works in Gallery 1 and will remain open until November 16th.
The new exhibition "From Roy Lichtenstein to Andreas Slominski" features Warhol classics including his famous Mao portraits and Campbell's soup cans hanging in the entrance hall. However, the show goes beyond traditional paintings by bringing the comic-book aesthetic into three-dimensional form through sculptures that transform the flat comic style into spatial art.
Pop Art pioneer Roy Lichtenstein's famous "Brush Strokes" – painted brushstrokes with thick black outlines reminiscent of vintage comics – were originally created as paintings. The Albertina now displays hip-to-shoulder-high sculptural versions of these works. As curator Constanze Malissa explained during Wednesday's presentation, "Similar to Pablo Picasso, Roy Lichtenstein's sculpture is infinitely connected to his painting."
The contrast between frontally visible paintings and the spatial quality of sculptures is also highlighted by works from Alex Katz, considered a forerunner of Pop Art. Among the paintings by the now 98-year-old American artist, visitors will find his "Cut-outs" distributed throughout the space – women in swimwear or little black dresses painted on smooth metal surfaces. With their bold colors and clear forms, these sculptures resemble life-sized advertising figures from vintage magazines.
A dedicated room showcases 17 donated works by Andreas Slominski, who is scheduled to appear at Thursday evening's opening. Albertina Director General Ralph Gleis places special focus on these pieces because they explore the boundaries of sculptural art, featuring modified industrial products and everyday objects that challenge visitors to question "what is sculpture?"
Slominski, known as a "trap-setter" artist, presents seemingly ordinary objects and materials transformed into colorful art objects that create a connection to Pop Art. The collection includes garage doors and large 3D dioramas made from polystyrene foam spray-painted with bright patterns.
Most striking is Slominski's specially designed portable toilet in vibrant green and orange. Curator Malissa views this piece as both "a trap for the masses" and a monument to contemporary times filled with endless construction sites, never-ending major events, and precarious sanitary accommodations for refugees. Adjacent to the toilet hang reliefs featuring twisted bodies, molded from the same plastic material.
The former Essl Museum at the Danube riverside was reopened as Albertina Klosterneuburg last year. Director General Gleis outlined plans to set annual themes from spring through late fall, with this year's focus being "De Sculptura." While visitor numbers are lower than the main Albertina locations in Vienna, Gleis expressed satisfaction with attendance, describing the Klosterneuburg venue as an "experimental stage" with particularly encouraging weekend visitor numbers, though specific figures were not disclosed.
