H13 Lower Austria Prize for Performance 2020: Julischka Stengele Exhibition

This exhibition showcases the work of Julischka Stengele, winner of the H13 Lower Austria Prize for Performance 2020. It features her awarded project 'BALLAST | EXISTENZ', which addresses the devaluation of social groups framed as burdens and draws parallels between contemporary productivity demands and fascistic ideologies.

The Kunstraum Niederoesterreich presents the H13 Lower Austria Prize for Performance 2020, awarded to artist Julischka Stengele. The exhibition is an expansion and documentation of her awarded project, 'BALLAST | EXISTENZ'. This work critically examines the representation and framing of social groups often perceived as burdens to both the economy and society, particularly in the context of the Covid-19 crisis. Stengele investigates the ongoing devaluation of individuals unable to conform to the demands of contemporary capitalism and draws parallels between current discussions on productivity and worthiness with historical fascistic ideologies centered on the 'healthy' productive body. The project interrogates the role these factors play in current debates surrounding the pandemic and 'high-risk groups', posing the fundamental question of dispensability. Julischka Stengele, based in Vienna and working internationally, is an artist, performer, writer, lecturer, and curator. Her practice is socially committed, focusing on the consequences of power mechanisms and stigmatization, as well as the potential for emancipation through art. While she works across various media, her performative pieces are particularly recognized. Stengele has also published a column and directed a queer performance festival. Her works have been exhibited globally and have received numerous awards.

The exhibition is accessible from September 4 to September 12, 2020. Further details on visitor information or ticketing are not explicitly provided on this page, but an accompanying brochure is available.