Explore Hans Schabus's 'Astronaut (Komme gleich)': A Transformative Exhibition at Secession

Hans Schabus's exhibition 'Astronaut (Komme gleich)' explores spatial thinking and the creative act through sculptural interventions and installations. The project features neon text on the facade, a tunnel entrance to the main exhibition space, a recreated artist's studio, and film works examining themes of travel and passage.

The exhibition 'Astronaut (Komme gleich)' by Hans Schabus delves into the artist's relationship with space, material, and the creative process. Schabus's works often engage directly with his immediate environment, particularly his studio, using the space of art's creation as a metaphor for life itself. This exhibition transforms the Secession into a multi-faceted exploration of 'empty space' as a sculptural medium. Key elements include the word 'Astronaut' in neon on the facade, contrasting the infinite cosmos with enclosed spaces. Inside, a wall obstructs the entrance to the main room, accessible only via a tunnel leading through the Secession's basement and secondary spaces. Within the main hall, Schabus meticulously reconstructed his studio using cardboard and wooden frames, allowing visitors to exit the model and view its construction from the outside. This architectural sculpture formally echoes the Secession's floor grid and penetrates the representative space from below, serving not as a display of his work situation but as a reflection on the exhibition context itself. Additional film works in the side depots, 'Western' and 'Astronaut,' further explore passages, tunnels, and journeys. 'Western' depicts Schabus navigating Vienna's sewer canals in a self-made boat, referencing conceptual artist Bas Jan Ader and the film 'The Third Man.' The 'Astronaut' video shows the artist excavating a shaft and running through a tunnel, symbolically connecting the studio, the sewer system, the Secession, and potentially outer space. The exhibition's design encourages a narrative experience through a defined pathway, extending into the urban space via a film shown in subway stations, linking the artist's studio and the Secession through the transit network.

Information regarding tickets for the Secession can be found via a provided link to an external ticketing platform. General opening hours indicate the museum is open Tuesday to Sunday, 10 AM to 6 PM, with specific exhibition ticketing likely integrated with general admission or separate purchase as directed by the link.