Traces of Reality
200 Years of Photography from the Collections of the Museums of the City of Linz
Some 200 years ago, the French inventor Joseph Nicéphore Niépce succeeded in permanently capturing the view from his study on a specially coated pewter plate. Today, this event is regarded as one of the defining moments in the birth of photography. Since then, the medium has not only transformed our perception of the world, but has also had a profound impact on the way artists produce images and practise their craft. To mark this anniversary, the exhibition places works from different historical periods drawn from the collections of the Museums of the City of Linz in dialogue.
The exhibition explores the fundamental conditions of the medium itself. Focusing on five core themes, it explores the parameters that are key to creating a photograph. Technical aspects of photography are just as important as the choice of subject matter. As a result, viewers are given a rich insight into the various approaches adopted by artists to using the medium in their image-making processes since its inception: from the earliest photographic methods of the 19th century and darkroom experiments of classical modernism through to contemporary works that exploit digital processes.
Curator: Sarah Jonas
Künstler:innen
Laurien Bachmann, Édouard Baldus, Herbert Bayer, Gottfried Bechtold, Dietmar Brehm, Julia Margaret Cameron, Inge Dick, Johann Carl Enslen, VALIE EXPORT, Sissi Farassat, Trude Fleischmann, Katharina Gruzei, Ilse Haider, Caroline Heider, Heinrich Heidersberger, Assaf Hinden, Franz Hubmann, Judith Huemer, Dagmar Höss, Birgit Jürgenssen, Dora Kallmus (Madame d’Ora), Leo Kandl, Anton Kehrer, Herwig Kempinger, Mathias Kessler, Brigitte Kowanz, Heinrich Kühn, Erich Lessing, Franz Linschinger, Estefanía Peñafiel Loaiza, Inés Lombardi, László Moholy-Nagy, Julie Monaco, Inge Morath, Gaspard Félix Tournachon (Nadar), Shirin Neshat, Olena Newkryta, Waltraud Palme, Ingeborg G. Pluhar, Man Ray, Oscar Gustav Rejlander, Alexander Rodtschenko, August Sander, Leo Schatzl, Eva Schlegel, Edward Steichen, Felix Benedikt Sturm, Huda Takriti, Mathilde ter Heijne, Sophie Thun, Robert Waldl, Anita Witek, Otto Zitko, u. a
| Date | Title | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Thu 05.11 | Public guided tour through „Katrin Plavčak“ Duration: 60 minutes, max. 25 people, guided tour ticket: €4 (plus admission) No registration required (“first-come, first-served”). German only | 6:00 pm–7:00 pm |
| Sat 07.11 | Lentos Atelier Children and young people between the ages of 6 and 12 have the opportunity to discover works of art, work creatively and try out different techniques in the Lentos studio. | 10:00 am–12:00 pm |
| Sat 07.11 | Art Studio for Adults to Katrin Plavčak Drawing on Katrin Plavčak’s artistic approach, in this painting workshop we will explore the interplay of various references and the artistic freedom to avoid taking things too seriously. How can we develop multi-layered visual worlds using the direct visual languages and forms found in comics, advertising, and popular culture? Appointments available only as a package on November 7 and 8. German only. | 10:00 am–2:00 pm |
| Sat 07.11 | A Studio for All Age Groups (Fully booked) Every first Saturday each month we throw open the door of our “Atelier für Alle”, our studio for sessions with all age groups from 0 – 99. | 2:00 pm–4:00 pm |
| Sun 08.11 | Art Studio for Adults to Katrin Plavčak Drawing on Katrin Plavčak’s artistic approach, in this painting workshop we will explore the interplay of various references and the artistic freedom to avoid taking things too seriously. How can we develop multi-layered visual worlds using the direct visual languages and forms found in comics, advertising, and popular culture? Appointments available only as a package on November 7 and 8. German only. | 10:00 am–3:00 pm |
| Sun 08.11 | Public guided tour through „Katrin Plavčak“ Duration: 60 minutes, max. 25 people, guided tour ticket: €4 (plus admission) No registration required (“first-come, first-served”). German only | 4:00 pm–5:00 pm |
| Tue 10.11 | Public guided tour through “Katrin Plavčak” and “The Collection” Duration: 60 minutes, max. 25 people, guided tour ticket: €4 (plus admission) No registration required (“first-come, first-served”). German only+ | 4:00 pm–5:00 pm |
| Thu 12.11 | Public guided tour through „Katrin Plavčak“ Duration: 60 minutes, max. 25 people, guided tour ticket: €4 (plus admission) No registration required (“first-come, first-served”). German only | 6:00 pm–7:00 pm |
| Thu 12.11 | Concert at the Stadtwerkstatt: Kinky Muppet Katrin Plavčak (vocals, guitar), Nicholas Hoffman (vocals, baritone, bass, keyboards), and Oliver Stotz (samples & drums) will take the stage as Kinky Muppet at the Stadtwerkstatt in Linz. Opening act: Sersha. Tickets: €14, available at the Stadtwerkstatt box office. Doors open at 7:30 p.m., concert starts at 8:00 p.m. The concert ticket grants free admission to the exhibition. | 7:30 pm–9:30 pm |
| Fri 13.11 | Nude Drawing at the Lentos (Fully booked) Lentos takes advantage of the art museum’s inspiring surroundings to offer a course in the classical discipline of “nude drawing” with models — for anyone who wants to give it a try, refine their techniques, or take their first steps as a “newcomer.” The focus is on practical drawing from a model under the guidance of artist Klaus Scheuringer. | 4:00 pm–6:00 pm |


















