The Austrian artist Robert Fleischanderl is realizing an art project in public space on the MQ forecourt and along the Burgring. In “Why Aren’t You Laughing?” “14 Stories about Domestic Violence”, Fleischanderl deals urgently with this sensitive and topical topic. Based on the real fates of those affected, various aspects of domestic violence are shown. Photographic works are presented together with text elements.
Following the press conference in MQ Room D, there will be a joint viewing of the exhibition.
Speaking at the press conference:
Robert Fleischanderl, artist
Michaela Egger, initiator of the project
Marina Sorgo, Chairwoman of the Federal Association of Violence Protection Centers in Austria Bettina Leidl, Director MQ
Nina Schedlmayer, art critic and author
Alma Zadić, Federal Minister of Justice
The project was initiated by Michaela Egger, then managing director of the Lower Austria Violence Protection Center, and implemented in cooperation with the Federal Association of Austrian Violence Protection Centers and the MQ. The exhibition is being shown on the occasion of the “16 Days Against Violence” campaign.
Please register at presse@robert-fleischanderl.com.
Press photos and further information material can be downloaded at: https://www.robert-fleischanderl.com/Download/
Press conference “Why aren’t you laughing? 14 Stories of Domestic Violence”
Time: Friday, November 8th, 9:30 a.m
Ort: MuseumsQuartier Vienna, MQ Room D, Museumsplatz 1, 1070 Vienna
Duration of the exhibition: 08.11. – 10.12.
Opening: Friday, November 8th, 11am (meeting point Outer Castle Gate)
Ort: Outer castle gate / castle ring, MQ forecourt
Artist biography:
The artist and photographer Robert Fleischanderl was born in Tyrol in 1967. His projects often move at the interface between art and socio-political issues such as cultural identity, aging, the Holocaust and hereditary disease. His work has been published internationally and received several awards, such as the Austrian State Scholarship for Artistic Photography.
Project info:
According to Statistics Austria, every third woman* in Austria has experienced physical or sexual violence. There were 26 femicides and 41 attempted murders in Austria in 2023. 15,115 entry and approach bans were imposed.
Statistics Austria, press release, 12 943-241/22
For “Why aren’t you laughing?”, 14 clients allowed Robert Fleischanderl access to the files of their experiences of violence and access to their homes. For Fleischanderl, some fundamental questions inevitably arose: How can art tell stories about violence? How can the dignity, protection and anonymity of those affected be preserved? What can photography represent? What can a blank space say? How can an art project pursue a social agenda? How political and activist does art have to be?
Photo-text pairs document the different aspects of domestic violence against women and children. The apartments in which the violent crimes occurred are the focus of the photographs. They are often crime scenes, but – with one exception – can no longer be recognized as such because all traces of the crimes have been removed. At first glance, the photos appear almost unspectacular and ordinary. However, the texts that accompany each photo and in which Fleischanderl lets those affected have their say add a lot of charge to the images and make the dynamics of violent relationships in the language image visible in an oppressive way. In addition to quotes from the victims from the court case files, medical reports and police reports are also shown, always preserving the anonymity of those affected. The stories of violence are supplemented by glossary texts on terms of structural violence. This photo art project aims to honor the stories of all those affected and make their voices heard and visible. It is intended to create more awareness of the highly explosive social issue of domestic violence and to enable a low-threshold and differentiated discussion through an artistic approach. Special thanks go to the clients of the violence protection center who agreed to take part in this project.