He whips the sea, captures lightning or makes trees appear to be on fire - Julius von Bismarck seeks direct confrontation with the forces of nature. His art moves between science, technology and poetry, between experiment and grand gesture. With the exhibition "Normale Katastrophe", the KunstHausWien is now dedicating the first major institutional solo exhibition in Austria to the German artist (*1983).
The title says it all: Von Bismarck shows a world in which disasters have long since become the norm. Fire, water, storms - forces of nature that were once considered exceptional now characterize a reality in which climate crisis, environmental destruction and social upheaval can no longer be overlooked. His works make this field of tension visible without lecturing. They generate amazement, irritation and contemplation at the same time.
The exhibition presents a selection from fifteen years of artistic creation: photographs, video works, sculptures and installations, all of which seek a dialog with the forces of nature. The intervention developed especially for the green inner courtyard is particularly impressive: rotating LED lights that give the impression that individual trees are on fire. It is an image that is as fascinating as it is disturbing, revealing the fragile boundary between beauty and threat, the experience of nature and technical manipulation.
Von Bismarck's artistic research is action-oriented. His works are often created in risky experimental set-ups that require physical effort and scientific precision.
Exhibition view "JULIUS VON BISMARCK. Normal Catastrophe" © KunstHausWien / Photo: Sandro E.E. Zanzinger
The results are images of irritating beauty that break with traditional notions of nature. Whether as a romantic idyll, an economic resource or a punishing authority - the old narratives are shaken. "I try to destroy the traditional images and create new ones," says the artist himself. He is less concerned with explanation than with experience. His works open up visual spaces that invite us to question our perception of nature - and therefore also our actions. Because what we understand as "nature" is always culturally shaped, conveyed through images, myths and stories.
"Normal Catastrophe" is an urgent plea to take a closer look: at the power of the elements, at the vulnerability of the earth - and at the responsibility of humans in the midst of these forces.
September 10, 2025 to March 8, 2026
www.kunsthauswien.com
