Wien Aktuell | Ongoing
"Wien ist Anders" say the posters.
"Nah ja, Wien ist wirklich Anders!" jokes the rest of Austria.
I say, "Nah ja, Wien ist Anders, aber doch, Wien bleibt Gleich".
Demokratie mit Discothek, 2017. Site Specific Collage on Grafitti wall at Club Muluc, 1170 Wien.
The process of learning turns a strange context into a familiar one, and finally into a habitation of mind and heart...
Learning to know a community or landscape is homemaking.
Bateson, M. C., 1994, p178.
WIEN AKTUELL was a magazine published by Stadt Wien between 1973 - 1985.
I came across about twenty of the magazines in the paper recycling bin of a Tischlerei down the road from my house.
Initially, I was drawn to the vibrant violet of the front covers and the retro designs. Going through the magazines, I noticed that Vienna went through massive transformation and regeneration during the period of publication. Things that we now take for granted were put into place during this period - the making of the Donauinsel, widening of the districts and preservation and extention of the Wienerwälder.
It is also interesting to see that the same themes from 40 old years ago are of importance and interest to Wieners now: growing and preserving Green spaces (Ländliches Wien, Wiens wälder wachst), keeping the city clean (Festwochenputz: Wir nehmen jeden Kübel!), protecting the water supply (Wiener Wasser).
Vienna has elected an SPÖ-lead council for the majority of last 100 years. I believe that Vienna repeatedly being voted the worlds best city to live in is a direct result of the city's long-standing socially focused council governance.
The magazines are source material to explore the city; I want to trace the citys humor; its airs, graces and quirks; revisit its history and eventually question what we take for granted, value and leave behind.
