museum in progress

OUT NOW: 3 wonderful benefit editions by EL ANATSUI - Male, Female and Head. These highly collectible editions are the intimate counterparts to the monumental Safety Curtain project at the Vienna State Opera.

Each wood print asserts a distinct identity with lively variations in structure, surface, and colour that further denote character and gender. The lifesize wood prints were produced with El Anatsui at Chavanne & Pechmann's renowned print studio in Apetlon.

museum in progress and the Vienna State Opera announce that the 2026/27 “Safety Curtain” will be realised posthumously with a work by the artist.

The 29th contribution to the “Safety Curtain” series, conceived by museum in progress (mip.at) and realised since 1998 in cooperation with the Vienna State Opera and the Bundestheater-Holding, will be presented in the Vienna State Opera in autumn 2026 and will be on view for approximately nine months.

Herbert Brandl had already received the commission a year ago, was delighted by the invitation from museum in progress, and had begun working on his design. The artist was selected by the internationally composed jury – Daniel Birnbaum, Bice Curiger, and Hans-Ulrich Obrist. After the artist’s sudden passing, the jury, in agreement with museum in progress and the Vienna State Opera, chose to maintain their decision.

Current Project Partners: iSi Group (main sponsor since 2023). Support: Hotel Altstadt, ART for ART, Bildrecht and SO/ Vienna. Media partners: Die Furche and Die Presse. ©️ Photo: Samuel Mizrachi. Courtesy: Galerie nächst St. Stephan Rosemarie Schwarzwälder.