ART CITIES: Vienna-Darker, Lighter, Puffy, Flat

The international group exhibition “Darker, Lighter, Puffy, Flat” looks at the meaning of the human breast in culture, society, and art history. It brings together artists of different generations, new commissions, and previously exhibited works that (in one way or another) explore the breast, the tensions and conflicts it creates, but also its sensuality and its playfulness.

By Dimitris Lempesis
Photo Kunsthalle Wien Archive

Breasts are present in every facet of our lives, from every-day conversations to the portrayal of women in films and video games. They even spark public debates, such as discussions about public breastfeeding and the censorship of nipples on social media platforms. Breasts embody a striking duality as symbols both of nurturing motherhood and the eroticized fe-male body. This dichotomy gives them considerable influence in shaping our perceptions of gendered bodies. In the realm of queer discourse, discussions surrounding top surgeries, including breast implants and removal, are marked by their historical implications. As the title of our exhibition suggests, breasts come in a variety of forms: some larger, some smaller, some flatter, some darker, some lighter. For some they are a source of shame; for others they are something to proudly display in public. What-ever our individual experiences, we all have them. Going back in history, breasts were a symbol of fertility and were represented without any censorship in ancient works—as with the Venus of Willendorf, for example. Amazons, the brave warriors of Greek mythology, cut or covered one of their breasts to embrace their bisexual nature; Hera (also known as Juno) created the Milky Way from the milk of her breasts; Galaktotrophousa is a common Christian icon depicting Mary feeding Christ with only one breast exposed; Saint Agatha was tortured by having her breasts cut off; the symbol of the French Republic was a bare-breasted woman, the mother of the Republic; Nazi propaganda promoted domestic values and breastfeeding. The nineteenth and twentieth centuries witnessed the dehumanized representation of colonized women within the West. One such example is Sarah Baartman, known as the “Hottentot Venus,” who became a spectacle in freak shows—her body objectified, controlled, and exoticized. Another notable example of someone attempting to exert con-trol over a woman’s body is the Kokoschka doll, the life-size replica of Viennese salonnière and composer Alma Mahler commissioned by artist Oskar Kokoschka. This exhibition explores the representation of the breast and its various meanings. The artists presented here ask which depictions have been acceptable and which should be acceptable.

Participating Artists: Nina Beier, Misleidys Castillo Pedroso, Lucia Dovičáková, VALIE EXPORT, Bruno Gironcoli, Elisa Giardina Papa, Andrea Éva Györi, Trulee Hall, Monia Ben Hamouda, Šejla Kamerić & Aleksandra Vajd, Maria Lassnig, Claudia Lomoschitz, Tala Madani, Sarah Margnetti, Radha May, Marlie Mul, OMARA Mara Oláh, Abdul Sharif Oluwafemi Baruwa, Laure Prouvost, Christina Ramberg, Adam Rzepecki, Toni Schmale, Maja Smrekar, Mariya Vasilyeva, Dorottya Vékony, Marianne Vlaschits, Rafał Zajko

Photo: Laure Prouvost, The Hidden Paintings Grandma Improved, Looking at you looking at me, 2023, © Laure Prouvost; courtesy Lisson Gallery, photo: Todd-White Art Photography / © Bildrecht, Vienna 2023

Info: Curator: Laura Amann, Assistant Curator: Hannah Marynissen, Curatorial Interns: Hana Čeferin, Lara Mejač, and Anyla Kabashi, Kunsthalle Wien, Museumsquartier, Museumsplatz 1, Vienna, Austria, Duration: 29/11/2023-14/4/2024, Days & Hours: Tue-Wed & Fri-Sun 11:00-19:00, Thu 11:00-21:00, https://kunsthallewien.at/