Austrian artist Erwin Wurm has had his sculptures removed from the Austrian Parliament building following a political controversy with the new National Council President Walter Rosenkranz of the far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ). The artist documented the removal process on his Instagram account, stating "The story is now over" as he exercised a buyback clause to reclaim his artwork.
On August 6, the art transport company Kunsttrans arrived at the Parliament building to pack, crate, and remove two sculptures that had been purchased under former National Council President Wolfgang Sobotka. Wurm posted images of the removal process on social media, explaining his decision to invoke the buyback clause after "the right-wing populist National Council President Walter Rosenkranz (FPÖ) wanted to remove my two sculptures and store them in some storage room."
The artist made it clear he did not want to leave the fate of his artwork in the hands of the FPÖ politician. Wurm had originally sold the works to Parliament for 240,000 euros excluding value-added tax, which represented a significant discount compared to his usual prices for large sculptures. The original purchase had followed lengthy negotiations and was not a spontaneous decision by Sobotka.
Following the buyback, one of the sculptures was acquired by a private collector, while the other was donated to the Kunstpalast Düsseldorf in Germany. Wurm expressed satisfaction with this outcome, noting that "Cultural Director Miriam Koch and Mayor Stephan Keller are very pleased about it, and the sculpture will get a prominent place in Düsseldorf." He added, "My work is welcome there."
Currently, Wurm's work can be seen throughout Austria at several prestigious venues. His pieces are on display at the Francisco Carolinum in Linz, at the Marmorschlössl and Kaiservilla Park in Bad Ischl, at the Ceramic Manufactory in Gmunden, and in the hall of the Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac in Salzburg. The controversy highlights ongoing tensions between contemporary art and conservative political movements in Austria.
