ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Two Austrian Collectors, Two Worldviews

other · 2026-04-23

Dieter Bogner, an art historian, exhibition curator, and museography consultant, serves on the board of the Friedrich Kiesler Foundation and the directorate of MoMA in New York. He and his wife have transformed Buchberg Castle near Vienna into a home for their 450-piece international art collection, focused on Constructivist, Concrete, and Conceptual art. Karlheinz Essl, Austria's most prominent collector, owns and runs a chain of DIY supermarkets and uses his collecting activities as a communication tool to reach a broader audience. His collection comprises approximately 3,500 works.

Key facts

  • Dieter Bogner is an art historian, curator, and museography consultant.
  • Bogner is on the board of the Friedrich Kiesler Foundation and the directorate of MoMA New York.
  • Bogner and his wife have transformed Buchberg Castle near Vienna into a collection space.
  • The Bogner collection includes 450 pieces focused on Constructivist, Concrete, and Conceptual art.
  • Karlheinz Essl is the most important Austrian collector.
  • Essl owns and runs a chain of DIY supermarkets.
  • Essl uses collecting as a communication tool to reach a wider audience.
  • The Essl collection comprises approximately 3,500 works.

Entities

Artists

  • Dieter Bogner
  • Karlheinz Essl

Institutions

  • Friedrich Kiesler Foundation
  • MoMA New York
  • Buchberg Castle

Locations

  • Vienna
  • Austria
  • New York
  • United States

Sources