A Love Letter To the Art in Vienna

Although I came to Vienna to study music, another one of my passions is visual art. I have always been fascinated by classical art and techniques, so when I arrived in Vienna, I wanted to take every opportunity to visit the art museums and see some of the most notable art in the world. The two main museums I visited were the Belvedere and the Albertina.

The Belvedere is most famous for housing Gustav Klimt’s The Kiss. In fact, a lot of Viennese shops proudly sell merchandise of the piece on everything from coasters to pens. At the Belvedere, I was lucky enough to see The Kiss up close, along with other works by Klimt, such as Judith. In addition, the Belvedere has beautiful statues and a large courtyard with fountains and displays. Apart from the paintings, the Belvedere was like a dream to walk through, witnessing the beautiful ceilings and doorways of the 18th-century palace.

The Albertina houses impressionist works by Monet, along with more modern work by Picasso and Magritte. I went to both the Albertina and the Albertina Modern. At the Albertina, I was able to see Young Hare by Durer and an elaborate 5-headed horse statue. At the Modern, there is currently an exhibition by artist Ai Weiwei, who happens to be one of my favorite artists. Ai Weiwei focuses on criticisms of government and the freedom to have a voice, which was evident in his exhibit which had a lego depictions of his arrest, wallpaper showing security cameras and the twitter logo, and Ai Weiwei’s Sunflower Seeds, one of his most famous works which comments on the people of China and Mao Zedong’s rule. I had done a presentation on this particular work, so seeing it in person was an incredible experience.

I am grateful for being able to witness the beautiful works that shape the history of Vienna. In seeing the art of Vienna, I gained a deeper appreciation for the city and greater motivation to learn about art!