Styrian cultural year

Sad farewells and welcome newcomers

The Graz artist Günter Brus died on February 10, 2024.

(Bild: Michaela Reichart)

The Styrian cultural year 2024 was an eventful one. On the one hand, the departure of greats such as Günter Brus, Bodo Hell and Vojo Radkovic had to be announced, while on the other hand, there was joy at the opening of new venues. And the political course was also set with Karlheinz Kornhäusl, the provincial councillor for culture.

Just before Christmas, there was a big surprise in terms of cultural policy: Styria has a brand new and largely unfamiliar cultural councillor in the form of doctor Karlheinz Kornhäusl (ÖVP), who faces many challenges. He succeeds Christopher Drexler, who has provided him with some impetus with Styria Schau and the Cultural Strategy 2030. A huge upheaval and change, although the direction will not be clear until 2025.

The year 2024 was generally a very eventful one for the Styrian cultural scene: the change at the top of the state government and the wave of inflation not only depressed the mood, but also the budgets. In the independent scene in particular, a struggle for survival has begun. And yet some highlights of the cultural year came from this sector in particular - such as the bombastic theater evening "Ein Körper : Mein Fließen" by Theater Quadrat in Graz, the exciting exploration of Europe by Theater im Bahnhof or the small, fine concert by Paul Plut at the Orpheum. Above all, however, 2024 was also a year of farewells.

Farewell to Brus, Hell and Radkovic
Günter Brus, one of the few Styrian world stars of the cultural scene, died on February 10 . He made art history, particularly with his actions such as "Art and Revolution", the "Viennese Walk" and the "Tear Test". But even after his actionist times, pushing the boundaries and going a considerable way beyond remained a life motto. 

In a combination of drawings and texts, Brus created the genre of "picture-poetry", in which both components are of equal value. Thousands of sheets were created in this way, combined in cycles, but also as solitaires. He also found time to design stage sets and costumes.

The famous "Viennese Walk" from Günter Brus' actionist period.

(Bild: Bruseum)

His strength was not only his exuberant imagination and his never-ending spirit of struggle and contradiction, but also his ability to collaborate with other artists. His works were shown at countless exhibitions in Europe, Australia and the USA, including at the Venice Biennale and several times at the documenta in Kassel, Germany. And, of course, in his Bruseum at the Neue Galerie in Graz, the museum that opened in 2011 and was already a monument to him during his lifetime.

Futile search for author Bodo Hell
The life of the writer Bodo Hell also ended tragically. Since the late 1970s, the author, who was honored with the Grand Austrian State Prize for Literature only last year, had spent every summer on the Grafenbergalm in the Dachstein region, as he was also a great animal lover - around 80 cattle, as well as sheep and horses, were under his care. But in August he disappeared without a trace.

Bodo Hell on the Grafenbergalm

(Bild: Mayr)

On August 11, he was reported missing by an acquaintance and the search for the author around the Dachstein lasted for days - unfortunately in vain. On September 9, one month after he was last seen, he was officially reported as "missing" by his Graz-based publisher. To this day, there is no trace of him - but he has left his mark on the local literary world.

He brought the pop stars to Styria
The local cultural scene also had to say goodbye to Vojo Radkovic. The fact that Graz and Styria were also on the tour schedules of real world stars from the 1970s onwards is thanks to one man in particular: Vojo Radkovic. The journalist set his mind to bringing music greats to Graz - and he simply did it. AC/DC, Tina Turner or Johnny Cash

Vojo Radkovic

(Bild: zVg)

In recent years, Radkovic had withdrawn from the concert business, working mainly as a journalist. On September 30, he died unexpectedly in Graz just a few days before his 78th birthday. 

Other deaths
Alfred Komarek, a highly successful author from Ausseerland with his "Polt" crime novels, died in January of this year. The architecture scene also suffered sad losses: Hermann Pichler, a member of the Werkgruppe Graz, left his mark on the Styrian architecture scene. The British architect Colin Fournier, the planner of the Graz Kunsthaus, was an alert companion of the Styrian cultural scene. And in Julia Reichert, who founded the unique Kabinetttheater in Graz in 1989, the Austrian theater scene also lost a great figure. The film world mourned the loss of Graz director Katharina Copony and the Museum im Schloss Trautenfels lost its long-time curator Wolfgang Otte.

Archduke Johann Museum in Stainz
But there was also a lot of good news on the Styrian cultural scene - such as the opening of the new Archduke Johann Museum in Stainz Castle. On 650 square metres, all aspects of the Habsburg, who dedicated his life to progress, are examined, cleverly designed by "die Organisation" and scientifically researched by museum director Karlheinz Wirnsberger and his curators Barbara Müller and Maria Zengerer.

View of the new museum in Stainz

(Bild: UMJ/J. J. Kucek)

In addition to many exciting objects from the Joanneum collection, numerous interactive stations invite visitors to take a closer look. You can also deepen your knowledge in the many drawers where you can find letters and personal items.

New life in an old theater
The opening of a new venue for Graz's independent theater scene was also a welcome development - even though it is actually the second oldesttheater in the state capital. The former Gesellenvereinstheater, which was completed in 1859 and where the legendary actor Alexander Girardi once celebrated his stage debut, has been kissed awake again after years of slumber by a dedicated team from the independent theater scene (and financed by the city of Graz)

New faces in top positions
The artistic directors Dominik Kamalzadeh and Claudia Slanar successfully completed their first Diagonale in 2024. Zerina Džubur and Karin Oberhuber have yet to prove themselves as the new management duo at the Haus der Architektur in Graz. They have succeeded Beate Engelhorn and represent a breath of fresh air and even more openness to the outside world.

Claudia Slanar and Dominik Kamalzadeh with Ruth Beckermann, the director of the opening film of Diagonale 2024.

(Bild: Erwin Scheriau / KRONE)

The Institute for Art in Public Space, run with passion by Elisabeth Fiedler, will also have a new director from the start of the year in the form of Gabriele Mackert, as will the museum in Stainz and the Rosegger locations in Krieglach and Alpl, which will no longer be in the hands of Karlheinz Wirnsberger from 1 January, but in those of his longstanding colleague Barbara Müller.

New appointments in Stainz: Managing Director Josef Schrammel, Barbara Müller and Karlheinz Wirnsberger (from left).

(Bild: Universalmuseum Joanneum)

A culturally turbulent year in 2024 is likely to be followed by an even more turbulent year in 2025, in which there are sure to be some surprises on the program.