Touch Nature

The multimedia exhibition Touch Nature is a presentation of international artists who are taking a stand against the devastating political, economic, ecological and humanitarian impact of the Anthropocene. It becomes clear in the process that artists are not only documenting their grievances and formulating resistance but are also designing utopias for a respectful approach to our environment.

The economic exploitation of landscapes, increasing soil sealing and the global repercussions of current consumer behaviour are also addressed, as are world nutrition, the spread of epidemics and the consequences of colonialism. In addition, the investigation encourages a change of perspective. It opens up hopeful visions for a new relationship between mankind and nature.

Touch Nature is based on the series of exhibitions of the same name, which were presented in a total of 12 Austrian cultural forums in Europe and the USA, and in which Austrian artists engaged in a creative dialogue with their counterparts from the host country concerned. The exhibition at the Lentos is a distillation of this series and presents an overview of how the climate crisis and environmental destruction are currently being addressed in art. It is in the spirit of the pioneer of ecological thinking, Alexander von Humboldt, who famously wrote to Johann Wolfgang von Goethe in 1810: “Nature must be felt.” 

Artists: Uli Aigner, Iris Andraschek, Peter Bartoš, Matei Bejenaru, Julius von Bismarck, Vanja Bučan, Floriama Candea, Laura Codruța Cernea, Adriana Chiruta, Sevda Chkoutova, Larisa Crunțeanu, Mark Dion, Veronika Dirnhofer, Ines Doujak, Anna Dumitriu/Alex May, Latifah Echakhch, Christian Eisenberger, Titanilla Eisenhart, Michael Endlicher, İnci Eviner, Thomas Feuerstein, Andrea Francolino, Dorothee Frank/Ben Fodor, Birgit Graschopf, Nicola Hackl-Haslinger, Maximilian Haidacher, Jitka Hanzlová, Peter Hauenschild, Beáta Hechtová, Edgar Honetschläger, Anaïs Horn, Alfred Hruschka, Barbara Anna Husar/Elmar Bertsch, Gözde İlkin, Nona Inescu, Fatoş İrwən, Tobias Izsó, Maren Jeleff/Klaus Pichler, Sabine Jelinek, Anna Jermolaewa, Anne Duk Hee Jordan, Johanna Kandl, Eginhartz Kanter, Anton Kehrer, Kitty Kino, Aurora Király, Alexandra Kontriner, Nina Koželj, David Kranzelbinder, Elena Kristofor, Hans Kupelwieser, Antonio Kutleša, Christiane Löhr, Linda Luse, Haruko Maeda, Péter Mátyási, Claudia Märzendorfer, Katharina Meister, Ferdinand Melichar, Karina Mendreczky, Sylvie de Meurville, Ana Maria Micu, Claire Morgan, Alois Mosbacher, Yvonne Oswald, Monika Pichler, Margot Pilz, PRINZpod, Luisa Rabbia, Julia Reichmayr, Oliver Ressler, Hubert Roithner, Gregor Sailer, Elisabeth von Samsonow, Davor Sanvincenti, Judith Saupper, Hans Schabus, Scheibe & Güntzel, Ramona Schnekenburger, Gabriele Schöne, Martin Schrampf, Claudia Schumann, Marielis Seyler, Milica Simonović, Rebecca Smith, Paul Spendier, Oana Stanciu, Thomas Stimm, Mircea Suciu, Maria Szakats, Adrienn Újházi, Hana Usui, Dan Vezentan, Judith Wagner, Manfred Wakolbinger, Violetta Wakolbinger, Betsy Weis, Nives Widauer, Eva Yurková, Laurent Ziegler/Georg Blaschke

Curator: Sabine Fellner
Project assistant: Laurenz Fellner
Exhibition design: wienerhalle

Publication: A catalog will be published by the Verlag der Buchhandlung Walther und Franz König, featuring texts in German and English by Sabine Fellner, Josef Berghold, Franzobel, Eva Horn, Christian Thun-Hohenstein and Hemma Schmutz.
128 pages, € 29. Available from Shop | Museen der Stadt Linz 

Press inquiries: clarissa.ujvari-hanten@lentos.at, or download materials from Presse | Lentos Kunstmuseum Linz

This exhibition has been made possible with the support of the Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs, Republic of Austria.