Ulla von Brandenburg: Innen ist nicht Außen – An Exhibition Exploring Theatricality and Illusion at Secession

This exhibition by German artist Ulla von Brandenburg explores the theatrical and performative aspects of human interaction, questioning the boundaries between reality and illusion. It features her new film 'Die Straße' presented within a stage installation tailored for the Secession's main space.

The exhibition 'Innen ist nicht Außen' (Inside is not Outside) by German artist Ulla von Brandenburg investigates the facets of the stage-like and theatrical, the relationship between audiences and performers, the regularity of play, and the interfaces between reality and illusion. In her first solo exhibition in Austria, Ulla von Brandenburg presents her new film 'Die Straße' as part of a stage installation specifically designed for the main space of the Secession. The black-and-white film 'Die Straße' depicts a man entering an unfamiliar village community and confronting its prevailing rituals and conventions of social interaction. Filmed in a single, uncut take, the camera follows the actors' actions, set by Brandenburg within an ephemeral backdrop of white canvases under the open sky. The stylizing scenery, the enigmatic rituals governing the actors' interactions, and the song they sing alternately lend the film a unique poetry. Ulla von Brandenburg consistently develops her work with 'Die Straße.' In her earlier black-and-white films, she staged seemingly static arrangements of people and minimal performative actions to explore ritualized behavior patterns and the relationship between being and appearance. Her installations often create a dense network of cultural and historical references. In the Secession, the situation depicted in the film—entering another world—is doubled by the staging within the real architectural space. Brandenburg places a complex stage construction in front of the film projection. Visitors first enter this stage from behind, moving through various curtains and backdrops towards an auditorium, before seeing the film behind the final curtain. Through these theatrical elements, the artist creates a play with before and behind, outside and inside, ultimately confronting viewers with themselves and their roles.

Information and tickets for the exhibition can be found via the provided link. General opening hours are Tuesday-Sunday, 10 AM to 6 PM, with the venue being open today. Specific ticketing details are not provided on this page beyond a link to purchase tickets online. The Secession is an artist-run institution since 1897. Entry information is available under 'Informationen & Tickets'. Opening hours are Tuesday to Sunday, 10 AM to 6 PM. The exhibition is part of the Secession's program, an artist-run association since 1897.