This Wilderness Has Culture – 50 x steirischer herbst

For fifty years now steirischer herbst has been synonymous with daring artistic approaches which raise essential questions as to the role of art in society. With progressive projects, artists and intellectuals have sought to challenge traditions characterised by German nationalism, fascism and a telling silence regarding the country’s recent murderous past, in some cases accompanied by massive reactions and heated discussions.
A special exhibition at the GrazMuseum illustrates how the festival, which set out as a “representative synopsis of artistic and scientific positions in Styria” (herbst-founder Hanns Koren), has evolved into an internationally renowned forum for contemporary art with venues all over Graz and Styria. It analyses the socio-political role of the festival and each programme relevant to its historical time, tracing the marks it has left in public space and appraising its influence on art, culture and the local population. A video station invites visitors to help write the history of steirischer herbst by recording their own memories of the festival.