Styria Show 2025

Baroque Eggenbergs build bridges to the present day

Prince Hans Ulrich von Eggenberg (1568-1634) serves - alienated by Alexander Kada - as the subject of the Styria Show 2025 at Eggenberg Palace in Graz.

(Bild: UMJ/Kadadesign)

The Styria Show 2025 casts its shadow ahead: The first insights into the extensive tribute to Prince Hans Ulrich von Eggenberg and his unique building, which celebrates its 400th anniversary next year, were provided at Eggenberg Palace in Graz.  

The rise, glory and decline of the Eggenbergs will be the focus of the next Styria Show, which will open on April 26, 2025 under the title "Ambition & Illusion" at Eggenberg Palace in Graz. The successor to the provincial exhibitions, based on an idea by Governor Christopher Drexler, is celebrating its third edition and will once again be organized by the Universalmuseum Joanneum. 

Governor Christopher Drexler (center) and SP culture spokesman Hannes Schwarz (3rd from right) with UMJ directors Josef Schrammel (2nd from left) and Marko Mele (2nd from right) as well as curators Daniel Modl, Günther Holler-Schuster, Barbara Kaiser, Paul Schuster, Sarah Kiszter and Karl Peitler (from left).

(Bild: UMJ/J. J. Kucek)

It took less than 100 years from the first Prince Hans Ulrich, whose portrait also serves as the subject of the exhibition, to the last Eggenberger, who died in 1717. However, it was an exciting time, which is dealt with in this Styria exhibition. Religious wars, a small ice age, epidemics and streams of refugees across Europe characterized the 17th century. Bridges to the present day are almost inevitable.

Celebrating its 400th birthday in 2025: Eggenberg Palace in Graz

(Bild: UMJ/Jare)

The building project that Hans Ulrich von Eggenberg embarked on in 1625 was ambitious. A palace bursting with numerical symbolism. It was also a political manifesto, expressing the utopia of peace through good government. The castle was not so important as a residence, but as a place of representation it was. To this day, it bears witness not only to splendor and wealth, but also to international connections.

The designers from Amsterdam-based Studio Louter focus on multimedia and interaction

(Bild: Studio Louter)

In the Baroque sense, the palace was a stage, and this is exactly how it will appear again in the Styrian show. Modern means such as film, multimedia, interactive stations and radio plays are used to immerse visitors in the life of the Eggenbergs. Acoustically too, as music plays a major role in this show. The Styriarte and the Art House collective are the ideal partners for this.

We are making an exhibition with the house and not one about the house

Paul Schuster, Leiter Schloss Eggenberg und Alte Galerie

New ways of presentation
"You will experience Eggenberg as you have never seen it before," promise host Paul Schuster and his predecessor Barbara Kaiser "We have found completely new ways of presenting historical buildings." Exhibits are brought together from all over Europe. The Coin Cabinet and the Archaeological Collection also make their contribution with special exhibitions.

Three-part pavilion
And, of course, the pavilion will once again play a major role. It can be experienced as a harbinger from March 12 at Heldenplatz in Vienna, then it will be split up and one part will move to Eggenberg Palace Park, another to Mariazell and Leoben, and finally a third to neighboring countries. Curator Günther Holler-Schuster promises top-class performances at all locations, with a composition by Klaus Lang and works by Erwin Wurm, Hubert Schmalix, Herbert Brandl, Total Refusal, Antonia Jeitler and many others.