Vienna Contemporary 2017 Opens with 110 Galleries from 27 Countries

The 2017 edition of Vienna Contemporary, running from September 21 to 24 at the Marx Halle, features 110 galleries from 27 countries, with 30% Austrian participation. The fair includes sections such as Zone1, a Focus on Hungary, and Solo & Sculpture curated by Miguel Wandschneider, which comprises nine off-site exhibitions. Nordic Highlights spotlight four Scandinavian galleries. Artistic director Christina Steinbrecher-Pfandt emphasizes that the ideal gallery presents artists working at a conceptual level, even in painting. The fair has faced two incidents: in 2015, an anonymous artist vandalized the facade, and days before the 2017 opening, individuals set a fire inside the pavilion, damaging a section and the roof. The perpetrators and motives remain unknown. Only two Italian galleries participate: Doris Ghetta from Ortisei (first time) and Boccanera from Trento (third time). Doris Ghetta cites historical ties between South Tyrol and Vienna, while Giorgia Lucchi Boccanera notes the fair's Mittel-European collectors and opportunities for collaboration but criticizes high costs. Steinbrecher-Pfandt reports a good number of Italian collectors and confirms Russian galleries are present despite the fair's Russian ownership and international political tensions.