Once Upon Now 1873/2023 – Johanna Riedl / Austrian Cultural Forum Tokyo, Japan

Once Upon Now, © Johanna Riedl
Once Upon Now, © Johanna Riedl

15.5. – 11.6.2023

With “ONCE UPON NOW” commissioned by the Austrian Cultural Forum Tokyo, media artist Johanna Riedl is realizing Austria’s main contemporary project for the 1873/2023 anniversary of the Vienna World Exhibition in Japan in the form of a performative video installation with a sculptural and digital exhibition.

The Vienna World Exhibition in 1873 represented a very special milestone in the history of Japan: after several centuries of isolation, the empire had the opportunity to present itself to the world for the first time. In a pavilion built by Japanese architects, master builders and garden specialists, Japan showed several thousand high-quality art and handicraft objects. The public thus had direct access to art, culture, architecture, philosophy and aesthetics from Japan for the first time. The Japan Pavilion not only triggered the Europe-wide wave of Japonism, but also marked the beginning of cultural and economic exchange between Japan and Austria.

The project takes place in cooperation with the most important art university in Japan, the Tokyo University of the Arts and is shown in the Chinretsukan Gallery.

Opening Event: May 15, 6:00 p.m Talk Event: May 20, 4:00 p.m Closing Event: June 11, 6:00 p.m

Once Upon Now 1873/2023 – Johanna Riedl
15.5. – 11.6.2023
KuAustrian Cultural Forum Tokyo, Japan
Chinretsukan Gallery
austriakulturdigital.at